Cessna 172 accident near Enid, Oklahoma, April 16, 2020
On April 16, 2020 at about 10:35 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 172, registered N737RR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Enid, Oklahoma (Fairmont Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a power-off approach and go-around in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing, loss of directional control, and a runway excursion onto a field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2020 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Enid, Oklahoma · Fairmont Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1977 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N737RR · registry record · serial 17269620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the flight instructor, during a training flight, he instructed the student pilot to perform a simulated power-off approach to a private turf airstrip. He briefed the student to execute a go-around upon reaching 100 ft above ground level. Upon reaching this altitude with the airplane configured with full flaps and the airspeed about 60 knots, the instructor told the student to go around. However, the airplane continued to descend, the airspeed decreased to about 45 knots, and the airplane veered left, at which point the instructor applied full power and raised the flaps, but the airplane "touched down firmly" about midfield off the left side of the runway and continued to veer left onto a field. The instructor visually inspected the airplane from his right seat and decided to take off to the south and return to the home airport. Once at the home airport, examination of the airplane revealed that the left wing had sustained substantial damage.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around)
- Hard landing during landing
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,704 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 4,722 as pilot in command; 3,346 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 18, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 9.1 hours in all; 9.1 in this make and model; 1.7 in the last 90 days; 1.7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,950.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 13, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 8,401 hours total
- Operator: Aero Club Of Enid Inc
The flight
- Departed from: END Enid OK at 9:58 pm
- Destination: WDG Enid OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,540 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 28 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from KWDG, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 8, 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | 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.