Cessna 172S accident near Lakota, North Dakota, November 2, 2003
On November 2, 2003 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N730SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakota, North Dakota (Lakota Municipal 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 not maintaining directional control during takeoff roll on a solo instructional flight. The factor to the accident was the wind gusts.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 2003 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakota, North Dakota · Lakota Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N730SP · no longer on the register · serial 17258667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damaged when it rolled over during takeoff roll on a student solo instructional flight. The pilot stated that during takeoff roll the airplane accelerated to approximately 45 knots when a gust of wind caused the airplane to become airborne. The pilot reported the airplane veered off the runway to the right and rolled over. Wind at a local reporting station was 290 degrees at 10 knots and at another local reporting station was 280 degrees at 9 knots.
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; 53 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 46 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,288.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 22, 2003; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FAR Fargo ND at 4:15 pm
- Destination: DVL Devils Lake ND
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 3,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from DVL, 24 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.