Cessna 172N accident near Petal, Mississippi, July 19, 2006
On July 19, 2006 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738KE, was destroyed in an accident near Petal, Mississippi (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's improper use of flaps, which resulted in an impact with trees during takeoff-initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2006 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Petal, Mississippi · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738KE · no longer on the register · serial 17270031
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot and a passenger attempted to depart from a 1,984-foot long, by 30-foot wide grass runway, with the flaps extended to the 40-degree position. The airplane impacted the tops of conifer trees located at the departure end of the runway and subsequently the ground. The airplane came to rest in an inverted position, and was consumed in a postimpact fire. All major components of the airplane were accounted for at the site. Control cable continuity was established to all flight controls, and no preimpact anomalies were noted with the engine that would have precluded it from producing power. According to the Cessna 172N Information Manual, "normal and short field takeoffs are performed with flaps-up." The manual further states that "Use of 10-degrees of flaps is reserved for takeoff from soft or rough fields" and that "Flap settings greater than 10 degrees are not approved for takeoff."
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: 3,429 hours in all; 1,822 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,599 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Petal MS at 9:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 090, 1,984 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from HBG, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.