Cessna 172N accident near Stow, Massachusetts, April 20, 2013
On April 20, 2013 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N739CK, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Stow, Massachusetts (Minute Man Airfield). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2013 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Stow, Massachusetts · Minute Man Airfield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N739CK · no longer on the register · serial 17270435
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the airplane was on approach to runway 30, and, about 75 feet above the ground, the airplane encountered a loss of lift due to “wind shear.” The pilot added power to attempt a go-around, but the airplane touched down on the runway and bounced. A gust of wind then pushed the airplane to the left of the runway. The pilot reduced the power, and he attempted to turn back to the runway; however, the airplane impacted trees off the side of the runway. A postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to the right and left wings. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reported wind at an airport located about 10 miles east of the accident site was 280 degrees at 12 knots, gusting to 15 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
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 602 hours in all; 298 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 437 as pilot in command; 295 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 11, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,834 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 3, 2013; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6B6 Stow MA at 4:40 pm
- Destination: 6B6 Stow MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 1,600 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,700 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from BED, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.