Cessna 172L accident near York, Nebraska, September 19, 2008
On September 19, 2008 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N4380Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near York, Nebraska (York Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, and the flight instructor's failure to take remedial action, for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2008 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- York, Nebraska · York Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N4380Q · no longer on the register · serial 17260280
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot were planning to do touch-and-go landings. A witness reported that the airplane took off on Runway 17, climbed about 100 feet, and then nosed down. The weather was clear and the wind was nearly straight down the runway. The flight instructor had logged nearly 3,000 hours of total flight time, with over 600 hours instruction and over 600 hours in the Cessna 172. Examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of a preimpact mechanical malfunction. The flight instructor had a long history of diabetes, and had recently started a new injectable medication (exenatide, 10 micrograms twice a day) to help control his blood sugar. This medication can result in impairment due to low blood sugar, but he had not reported any adverse effects, and he was observed to be behaving normally the day prior to and the day of the accident. He was at extremely high risk of obstructive sleep apnea given his height (70 inches), weight (285 pounds), and poorly controlled blood pressure. Obstructive sleep apnea often results in impairment, but he was apparently not observed to snore while sleeping, a hallmark of the condition. Autopsy revealed an enlarged heart (it weighed 500 grams), but it was not thickened, suggesting an apparently unrecognized heart condition, dilated cardiomyopathy, that can result in sudden incapacitation. Given the failure of this experienced instructor pilot to either execute a normal climbout or appropriately oversee the climbout by his novice student, it is possible that he was incapacitated by a cardiac event. It is also possible, though less likely, that he was impaired either by unrecognized low blood sugar as a result of his new diabetes medication or by fatigue from unrecognized obstructive sleep apnea. However, the investigation could not conclusively determine if the instructor was impaired at the time of the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- Personnel issues › Physical › Health/Fitness › Predisposing condition › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,945 hours in all; 652 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 636 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 3, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 5 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 5 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
No details recorded.
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,945 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 2008; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: York Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: JYR York NE at 8:45 pm
- Destination: JYR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,900 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:10 pm from JYR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.