Cessna 172F accident near Willmar, Minnesota, January 26, 2005
On January 26, 2005 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N8205U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willmar, Minnesota (Willmar Muni-John L Rice Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to properly compensate for the crosswind conditions and his failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout. Contributing factors were the crosswind and the snow bank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 26, 2005 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Willmar, Minnesota · Willmar Muni-John L Rice Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8205U · registry record · serial 17252105
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when the student pilot lost directional control during landing rollout and impacted a snow bank along the runway edge. The pilot stated that he had returned from a local solo instructional flight. He noted that winds had increased from 6 knots to 12 knots during the flight. The wind direction had not changed and presented approximately a 60-degree right crosswind. He reported that during the initial landing attempt the airplane drifted to the left and he elected to execute a go-around. He noted that the second approach was "fine." He stated: "When I touched down I put more aileron [in] but still started to drift left. I could feel the right wing come up and I was making a point to use more aileron. I was still drifting and went [through] the snow at the edge of the runway which broke the nose wheel off. The plane then dropped to the ground and skidded for about 30 feet." The outboard section of the left wing was "buckled" during the accident sequence.
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: 26 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,216 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 2004; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ILL Willmar MN at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,700 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,800 ft; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from ILL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI05CA058.