Cessna 172N accident near Hickory, North Carolina, April 1, 2025
On April 1, 2025 at about 11:45 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 172N, registered N79514, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Hickory, North Carolina (Hickory Rgnl airport). 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 airplane control during an attempted go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2025 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hickory, North Carolina · Hickory Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N, built 1976 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N79514 · registry record · serial 17268134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After performing 3 takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern with a flight instructor onboard, the student pilot departed on a solo flight. He subsequently performed two more landings, and during the landing flare of the third landing, a gusting crosswind struck the airplane. After touching down, the airplane began to drift to the left, so the pilot elected to abort the landing. After applying full throttle and establishing the airplane in a climb attitude, the pilot described that he, “…was unable to put in the correct level of inputs, triggering a stall left spin, landing nearly nose-down off the runway.” The airplane’s left wing was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot did not report that there were any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane 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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 58 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06/2, 6,401 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from HKY
Weather report (METAR): KHKY 012353Z 00000KT 10SM CLR 18/06 A3006 RMK AO2 SLP165 T01780056 10211 20178 53015
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 28, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | 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.