Cessna 172 accident near Crystal River, Florida, January 31, 2020
On January 31, 2020 at about 7:05 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 172, registered N739XT, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Crystal River, Florida (Crystal River-Captain Tom Davi 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, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2020 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida · Crystal River-Captain Tom Davi · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1978 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739XT · registry record · serial 17270895
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during the preflight inspection for his second solo flight, "the rudder pedals felt as if they had less resistance than normal." While conducting the takeoff, the airplane veered left, so he applied right rudder, but he was unable to regain directional control. The airplane exited the runway onto the adjacent grass and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the left-wing lift strut, and the vertical stabilizer. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administrator inspector who examined the airplane after the accident confirmed flight control continuity and reported no anomalies with the flight controls or brakes.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- 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
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 22.2 hours in all; 22.2 in this make and model; 22.2 in the last 90 days; 17.5 in the last 30 days; 0.5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,870 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 24, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 4,067 hours total
- Operator: Crystal Aero Group
The flight
- Departed from: CGC Crystal River FL at 7:05 pm
- Destination: CGC Crystal River FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 4,557 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from KCGC
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA20CA093.