Cessna 172-SP accident near Mckinney, Texas, February 7, 2004
On February 7, 2004 at about 7:28 pm local time, a Cessna 172-SP, registered N2124Z, was destroyed in an accident near Mckinney, Texas (Mckinney 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during the take-off roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2004 · about 7:28 pm local time
- Place
- Mckinney, Texas · Mckinney Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172-SP · all 172-SPs on the register
- Registration
- N2124Z · no longer on the register · serial 172S9424
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to lift-off from Runway 35, the 20-hour student pilot reported that he lost directional control of the aircraft as it turned to the left, and he tried to compensate with right rudder. The pilot stated that the aircraft continued its left hand turn into a grassy area, and he powered down by pulling out the mixture control and concentrated on preventing the aircraft from rolling over. At the time of the accident, the winds were reported from 030 degrees at 7 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: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 360.5 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 5, 2004; 40.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TKI Mckinney TX at 7:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 7,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.46 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.
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.