Cessna 172S accident near Springdale, Arkansas, January 8, 2003
On January 8, 2003 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N142ME, was substantially damaged in an accident near Springdale, Arkansas (Springdale Municipal 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 pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. A contributing factor was the prevailing crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 8, 2003 · about 6:45 pm local time · cases in 2003
- Place
- Springdale, Arkansas · Springdale Municipal Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N142ME · no longer on the register · serial 172S8425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 40-hour student pilot was not able to maintain directional control while landing on Runway 18. The student pilot reported, "I had my wind correction in with the right wing dipped and the left rudder pushed. When I landed, I touched the right wheel down and then the left wheel. As soon as I touched the left wheel down, I [applied the brake] and ran off the left side of the runway." The aircraft veered off the runway into the grass, crossed a parallel taxiway, struck a culvert, and came to rest against a concrete ditch. At the time of the accident, the winds at the airport were reported from 240 degrees at 9 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 12 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,551.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 27, 2002; 32.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Enterprises Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SGF Springfield MO at 6:45 pm
- Destination: ASG
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 5,302 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 250,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N142ME the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N142ME: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A 2,650 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Springdale Municipal · nearest airport
- Springfield-Branson Ntl Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Arkansas 1,582 since 1982 · 177 in the last ten years
- Arkansas 3,494 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N142ME 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW03LA079.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.