Cessna 172G accident near Hartington, Nebraska, August 8, 2015
On August 8, 2015 at about 9:52 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 172G, registered N5800R, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Hartington, Nebraska (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to use an excessive, unapproved flap setting for takeoff, which significantly increased the induced drag and resulted in an aerodynamic stall when the airplane flew out of ground effect.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2015 · about 9:52 pm local time
- Place
- Hartington, Nebraska · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G, built 1966 · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5800R · registry record · serial 17253469
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that he departed from a private grass airstrip with the airplane's flaps set to 30 degrees. He then climbed the airplane to about 20 ft above ground level (agl) and continued to the southwest. About 50 ft agl, as the pilot reached over to raise the flaps 10 degrees, the engine lost partial power. The yoke abruptly came back toward him, the airplane's nose pitched up, and the stall warning horn sounded. He pushed the yoke forward as hard as he could with both hands and trimmed the nosewheel down, but the trimwheel was hard to turn, almost requiring two hands to move it. He reached over to the flap handle and "bumped" it to 10 degrees. The airplane then aerodynamically stalled, and it impacted the ground in a steep nose-down attitude. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The damage to the propeller indicated that the engine was developing power at the time of ground impact. The airplane owner's manual stated that "Flap settings of 30- to 40-degrees are not recommended at any time for take-off." Although the pilot reported a partial loss of engine power, it is likely that flying the airplane out of ground effect with the flap setting of 30 degrees significantly increased the induced drag, which created the effect of not having sufficient engine power to overcome the drag and prevent an aerodynamic stall.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Trailing edge flaps › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Configuration › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 2, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,999 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 2015; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 5,003 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Grass Airstrip NE at 9:50 pm
- Destination: 0B4 Hartington NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway SW, 1,750 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from YKN, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.