Cessna 172 accident near Shreveport, Louisiana, August 22, 2018
On August 22, 2018 at about 3:50 pm local time, a 1971 Cessna 172, registered N4275Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Shreveport, Louisiana (Shreveport Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's overshoot of the runway, which resulted from her misperception of an engine issue due to her failure to maintain proper pitch control during initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2018 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Shreveport, Louisiana · Shreveport Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 L, built 1971 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4275Q · no longer on the register · serial 17260175
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was departing on a solo cross-country flight when she observed a decrease in climb performance and airspeed shortly after takeoff. She reduced airplane pitch to increase airspeed and avoid an aerodynamic stall. Although the engine continued to operate normally at full throttle, the pilot concluded that there was an engine issue because she was unable to maintain a normal climb pitch attitude without a decrease in airspeed. She told the tower controller that she was going to land and made an immediate turn near midfield to land on a crossing runway. She stated that, after aligning with the crossing runway, the airplane's airspeed had increased to 95-100 knots and that the airplane was too high to make a normal landing. She reduced engine power to idle and attempted to glide to the runway; however, the airplane landed in a grassy area past the end of the runway and bounced three times before the nose gear collapsed. The pilot acknowledged after the accident that the engine did not malfunction during the flight and postulated that the airplane had encountered a wingtip vortex from another airplane. However, a review of available air traffic control radar track data did not identify any departing or landing aircraft during the 15 minutes before the accident that would have resulted in a wake turbulence encounter. Additionally, the postaccident examination of the airplane's flight controls and engine did not reveal any evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the pilot's statement and the lack of any evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure, it is likely that she overshot the runway after her misperception of an engine issue due to her failure to maintain proper pitch control during initial climb.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during initial climb defining event
- Landing area overshoot during landing
- Hard landing during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Perception › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 63 hours in all; 63 in this make and model; 63 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 9 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 9, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,190 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2018; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 3,190 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHV Shreveport LA at 3:50 pm
- Destination: TXK Texarkana AR
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from SHV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on October 4, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum of Conversation (Lauren Aiello) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum of Conversation (Brian Soper) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum of Conversation (Paul Marks) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | FAA Inspector Statement (Paul Marks) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Weather Reports | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N4275Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.