Cessna 172L accident near Minocqua, Wisconsin, January 3, 2022
On January 3, 2022 at about 3:05 am local time, a 1971 Cessna 172L, registered N4209Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Minocqua, Wisconsin (Lakeland/Noble F Lee Meml Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of control during landing when the airplane encountered ice and snow on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2022 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Minocqua, Wisconsin · Lakeland/Noble F Lee Meml Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L, built 1971 · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N4209Q · registry record · serial 17260109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while landing following a night instrument flight, on a known contaminated runway and employing aerodynamic braking, the airplane contacted a snow and ice patch and veered to the left. The airplane continued left until it contacted an unplowed snowbank on the left side of the runway and nosed over coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, both ailerons, the vertical stabilizer, and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that prior to the flight he had filed and instrument flight plan and was aware of a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) that at most 10% of the runway had compacted snow. An area 60-ft wide was plowed and swept.
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 on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Snow/slush/ice covered surface › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 310 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 264 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 4, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,761.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 28, 2021; 23.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 4,761 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSTC St. Cloud MN at 1:25 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 5,150 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: -2°F (-19°C), dew point -24°F (-31°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from KARV
Weather report (METAR): KARV 030255Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M19/M31 A3014 RMK AO2 T11861315
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 28, 2022. 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, 11 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.