Cessna 172H accident near Plattsmouth, Nebraska, May 10, 2005
On May 10, 2005 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N4987R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plattsmouth, Nebraska. 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's inadequate compensation for the wind conditions which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. A factor associated with the accident was the gusting crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2005 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Plattsmouth, Nebraska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N4987R · registry record · serial 17256341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contacted the runway following a loss of control while landing. The student reported the accident occurred on his second solo flight. He stated that after takeoff he practiced maneuvers prior to flying to a near-by airport to practice takeoffs and landings. The pilot stated he flew over the runway to check the wind sock. He stated the winds were from 150 degrees at 5 knots, so he elected to land on runway 16. The pilot stated he made one uneventful landing. He stated that during the second landing, after the main gear touched down, the left main gear rose up off the runway. He stated this resulted in the propeller and the right wing contacting the runway. The airplane then settled back on the gear and the pilot taxied the airplane off of the runway. The closest weather reporting station was 12 nautical miles north of the accident airport, The reported winds were from 120 degrees at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots. The student pilot reported having a total of 29 hours of flight time.
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: 29 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OFF Offutt Afb NE at 5:30 pm
- Destination: OFF
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.