Cessna 172 accident near Grassy Butte, North Dakota, September 10, 2019
On September 10, 2019 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 172, registered N5347T, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Grassy Butte, North Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel, and the pilot's failure to conduct a preflight inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2019 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grassy Butte, North Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 E, built 1964 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5347T · no longer on the register · serial 17251247
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he recently fueled the airplane with fuel from an external supply tank on his ranch. On the day of the accident, the pilot taxied the airplane to a north-south road and started the takeoff roll to the north. The airplane lifted off and climbed to about 40 ft above ground level when the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot made a left turn to land in a parallel field; the airplane landed hard and came to rest upright, sustaining substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. Postaccident examination revealed a significant amount of water in the carburetor and in the airplane's fuel tanks. Water was also found in the supply tank from which the pilot fueled the airplane. The pilot reported that he did not check the airplane's fuel tanks for contamination before departing on the flight, nor had he checked the fuel supply tank for contamination. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with a total loss of engine power due to water contamination of the fuel system.
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
- Hard landing during landing
- Fuel contamination during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Inadequate inspection
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid condition
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 SER (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Grassy Butte ND
- Destination: Grassy Butte ND
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on January 29, 2020. 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 | Law Enforcement Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation - FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation - Mechanic | 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.
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.