Cessna 172F accident near Columbus, Nebraska, October 15, 2003
On October 15, 2003 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N5204F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Nebraska (Columbus Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during an aborted takeoff. Factors associated with the accident were the crosswind condition, the delayed aborted takeoff, and the student's lack of experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2003 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Nebraska · Columbus Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5204F · registry record · serial 17253195
- 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 during an aborted takeoff on runway 14. The student pilot reported he was planning on making a touch and go landing, but he had a difficult time controlling the airplane because of the crosswind, so he elected to make a full stop landing. During the subsequent takeoff, the pilot reported, the airplane was pulling to the left so he aborted the takeoff at an airspeed of 45 knots. The airplane departed the left side of the runway approximately 2,600 feet from the threshold at the approach end of runway 14. It traveled about 320 feet through a grass area then an additional 100 feet through a wheat field. Tire marks indicate that once the airplane contacted the wheat field, it began to slide to the right. The right wing contacted the terrain and the airplane flipped over coming to rest approximately 480 feet from the runway. The airplane came to rest inverted on a heading of 360 degrees. Inspection of the airplane did not reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of directional control. The winds reported at OLU at 1455 were from 70 degrees at 13 knots. According to Federal Aviation Administration records, the student pilot reported having 15 hours of flight time on the application for this third class airmen medical certificate which was dated September 5, 2003.
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: 15 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OFF Offutt Afb NE
- Destination: OLU Columbus NE
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 6,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from OLU
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.