Cessna 172N accident near Ottumwa, Iowa, February 5, 2002
On February 5, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733FT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ottumwa, Iowa (Ottumwa Industrial Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot failed to maintain directional control during takeoff. A contributing factor was the snowbank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 5, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ottumwa, Iowa · Ottumwa Industrial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733FT · registry record · serial 17268267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane nosed over when it veered left off the runway and impacted a snowbank. The student pilot reported he had completed three touch and go landings. He reported that during the fourth touch and go, the airplane went to the left after he applied power. He reported, "I pushed the power in and tried to bring the plane back to the right but was unsuccessful. The plane then hit the snow bank along the runway and flipped over on its top. Once stopped, I turned off the master switch and the key, took off my shoulder harness, seat belt, [and] then exited the plane." The inspection of the airplane revealed no preexisting anomalies or airworthiness discrepancies.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,138 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 28, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OTM Ottumwa IA at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 5,885 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from OTM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N733FT 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.