Cessna 172 accident near Bedford, Massachusetts, November 17, 2008
On November 17, 2008 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N2439Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bedford, Massachusetts (Lawrence G. Hanscom Field). 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 winds during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2008 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Bedford, Massachusetts · Lawrence G. Hanscom Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2439Z · registry record · serial 172S10564
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot of the Cessna 172 departed on his first solo flight after successfully completing an instructional flight with his instructor. The pilot chose to abort his first touch-and-go landing attempt on runway 29 due to winds and returned for another attempt. The airplane touched down on the centerline, but "weather-vaned" off the left side of the runway where it struck runway lights and a taxiway sign. The pilot reported that there were no deficiencies with the performance and handling of the airplane. The winds reported at the accident site 18 minutes after the accident were from 250 degrees at 8 knots. Thirty six minutes after the accident, the winds reported were from 230 degrees at 7 knots gusting to 16 knots.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 50 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 307 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 2008; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Executive Flyers Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BED Bedford MA at 5:15 pm
- Destination: BED Bedford MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:38 pm from BED
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.