Cessna 172R accident near Kalamazoo, Michigan, April 2, 2004
On April 2, 2004 at about 2:09 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N986AV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalamazoo, Michigan (Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Interna 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 air traffic control procedures/directives not followed by tower air traffic controller, the inadequate compensation for wind conditions by the student pilot during landing, the lack of total experience by the student pilot, and the recommended crosswind flap setting not followed by the student pilot. The crosswind conditions were a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2004 · about 2:09 pm local time
- Place
- Kalamazoo, Michigan · Kalamazoo/Battle Creek Interna · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N986AV · registry record · serial 17280580
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane, operated by a university aviation training program as a student solo instructional flight, veered off runway 05 during landing. The flight was the student pilot's second solo flight at which time he had accumulated a total flight time of 28 hours. The university placed a maximum crosswind limitation of 5 knots for the student pilot's solo flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed with winds from 340 degrees at 13 knots at the time of the accident. The student pilot performed eight takeoff and landings on runway 35 when the tower air traffic controller instructed the student pilot to change to runway 05. The student pilot complied with the instruction and landed on runway 05 using a 30-degree flap setting. The airplane information manual states that in strong crosswinds a minimum flap setting required for field length should be used. Federal Aviation Order states that air traffic control (ATC) is to use the runway most nearly aligned with the wind when the wind is 5 knots or more. There was no runway in use program in effect for the accident runway. The order notes that if a pilot prefers to use a runway different from the one specified, the pilot is expected to advise ATC. The student pilot did not advise ATC of his preference of runway use.
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: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,647 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, January 28, 2004; 63.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AZO Kalamazoo MI at 1:08 pm
- Destination: AZO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 3,436 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from AZO
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.