Cessna 172SP accident near Lancaster, New York, January 1, 2009
On January 1, 2009 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172SP, registered N2228L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lancaster, New York (Buffalo-Lancaster Regional 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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot's lack of solo flight experience and the snow bank located off the left side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 2009 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lancaster, New York · Buffalo-Lancaster Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172SP · all 172SPs on the register
- Registration
- N2228L · no longer on the register · serial 172S10027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was conducting his first solo flight and had performed two uneventful stop-and-go landings. As the airplane accelerated during the third takeoff, it began to veer to the left. The student pilot applied right rudder; however, the airplane contacted a snow bank located off the left side of the runway and nosed over, substantially damaging the airplane. The student pilot stated that the winds were calm and the ailerons were in a neutral position during the takeoff. He did not report any mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane.
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 on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › (general) › (general) › Student pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 86 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,017 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 16, 2008; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,048 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bob Miller Flight Training, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BQR Lancaster NY at 2:30 pm
- Destination: BQR Lancaster NY
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 26, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 3°F (-16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from BUF, 5 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N2228L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.