Cessna 172S accident near Portsmouth, New Hampshire, August 3, 2013
On August 3, 2013 at about 3:20 am local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N645PD, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Portsmouth, New Hampshire (Portsmouth Intn'L Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection resulting in his failure to remove the pin he used to lock the flight controls in place of the approved control lock.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 2013 · about 3:20 am local time
- Place
- Portsmouth, New Hampshire · Portsmouth Intn'L Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N645PD · registry record · serial 172S8644
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that in preparation for a night flight, he flew earlier that same evening. He inspected the airplane and noted the control lock was not installed in the control column. While searching for the control lock he located a “straight pin” in a seatback pocket and installed it. He left the airport and returned later than evening, and performed a preflight inspection of the airplane removing the straight pin. He departed and flew to his destination airport where he landed uneventfully. After landing he went to a fixed base operator and filed a flight plan for the return flight, then returned to the airplane and started the engine. He taxied to the run-up area of runway 34 where he performed the before takeoff checklist but did not check that the flight controls were free and clear for fear of having his tablet knocked off the yoke mount. He advised the controller that he was ready for departure and was cleared for takeoff. He taxied onto the runway and applied power noting the airspeed increased normally. After the airplane rotated it climbed to an altitude of about 3 feet and settled back down on the runway and bounced. Confused as to what was occurring, he added nose up trim to assist in the climb. At this point the airplane climbed to about 10 feet, then the nose pitched downward and the nose wheel struck the runway. After coming to a stop he switched the headlamp he was wearing from red to white and noticed the pin used to secure the flight controls was in the control lock hole. He removed the pin and retained possession of it. Post accident inspection of the airplane by a FAA inspector revealed substantial damage to the firewall.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Gust lock or damper › Inadequate inspection
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 204 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 108 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 21, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,398 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 19, 2013; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSM Portsmouth NH at 3:20 am
- Destination: BAF Westfield ME
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 11,321 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 3:46 am from PSM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.