Cessna 172S accident near Warroad, Minnesota, November 26, 2006
On November 26, 2006 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N380SP, was involved in an accident near Warroad, Minnesota (Warroad International Airport). It was a personal 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 propeller striking the individual who was positioning the propeller in anticipation of hand-propping the engine.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 2006 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Warroad, Minnesota · Warroad International 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
- N380SP · no longer on the register · serial 172S8774
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The propeller struck a person preparing to hand-prop the engine. The pilot stated that the cranking power of the airplane's battery was diminished because the airplane had been parked outside for an extended time in below freezing temperatures. The pilot was not able to get the engine started using the electric starter. The pilot reported that when the accident occurred he was seated in the airplane operating the engine controls. The pilot stated that the magnetos were off and the mixture lever was positioned at idle-cutoff. The pilot reported that as the individual positioned the propeller for the maximum leverage it "snapped [back]" due to cylinder compression and struck the person in the head.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 225 hours in all; 212 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 190 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,017.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RRT Warroad MN
- Destination: LVN Lakeville MN
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from RRD
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.