Piper PA28 accident near Cortland, New York, December 24, 2019
On December 24, 2019 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1966 Piper PA28, registered N7450R, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cortland, New York (Cortland County-Chase Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain the runway heading during takeoff, which resulted in impact with a snowbank and a subsequent nose-over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 2019 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cortland, New York · Cortland County-Chase Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1966 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N7450R · no longer on the register · serial 28-21994
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, while practicing a soft-field takeoff, the airplane entered ground effect and drifted left of the runway centerline. The airplane continued to drift left, struck a snowbank, and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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 takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Heading/course › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 34.7 hours in all; 34.7 in this make and model; 14.6 in the last 90 days; 4.5 in the last 30 days; 2.2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,125 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 9, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 3,363 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N03 Cortland NY at 8:20 pm
- Destination: N03 Cortland NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from ITH, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 3, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Phone Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Damage Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.