Cessna 172G accident near Bowdon, North Dakota, August 16, 2003
On August 16, 2003 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N6057R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bowdon, North Dakota (Private Airstrip 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 failure to maintain adequate airspeed which led to a stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience, the crosswind condition, wind gusts and power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2003 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bowdon, North Dakota · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N6057R · no longer on the register · serial 17253726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage after a loss of control during takeoff climb from a private grass airstrip. The student pilot reported that he departed the grass airstrip to the southwest with a left crosswind. He reported that he turned to the west once the airplane was above the tree line. He reported the stall warning horn sounded and he leveled the wings. He turned right to avoid power lines, but the airplane impacted the terrain.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,824 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2003; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Bowdon ND at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 11 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from DVL, 60 miles away
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.
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.