Cessna 172S accident near Lawrence, Kansas, December 10, 2005
On December 10, 2005 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N1053X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrence, Kansas (Lawrence Muni 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's improper decision to continue taxiing through the field. Contributing factor's include student pilot's failure to maintain control during the takeoff roll and the drainage ditch masked by snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2005 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Kansas · Lawrence Muni · 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
- N1053X · registry record · serial 9809
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, he had "set up the [air]plane" for the third takeoff. During the ground roll, the airplane drifted to the left and departed the runway. The student was unable to maneuver the airplane back onto the runway so he elected to continue taxiing through the grass and snow. The student stated that he did not notice a drainage area in the infield because it was covered in snow. While taxing through this area, the propeller struck the ground and the empennage struck the rear of the drainage area resulting in substantial damage. An examination of the airplane's systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed no anomalies.
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: 36 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 313 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWC Lawrence KS at 2:30 pm
- Destination: LWC Lawrence KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 3:52 pm from LWC, 1 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.