Cessna 172H accident near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas, June 6, 2015
On June 6, 2015 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 172H, registered N2536L, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cottonwood Falls, Kansas (Cottonwood Falls airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain adequate airspeed to climb the airplane out of ground effect, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and a collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2015 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cottonwood Falls, Kansas · Cottonwood Falls · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H H, built 1966 · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N2536L · registry record · serial 17255736
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he departed from a soft grass runway and used the entire runway length. During the takeoff roll, the airplane accelerated much slower than what he was used to in the soft grass, but still believed he would have enough airspeed to climb. After clearing a fence at the end of the runway, he reported the flight controls felt "mushy," the right wing dropped, and the airplane entered an aerodynamic stall. During the stall the right wing impacted the terrain and the airplane came to rest in a field upright. The pilot stated there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. During a post-accident inspection, a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector reported the airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing.
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 lift during takeoff
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Soft › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private, recreational
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 592 hours in all; 497 in this make and model; 3.5 in the last 90 days; 2.2 in the last 30 days; 549 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 29, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,180.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 25, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-300D (piston); 2,181 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9K0 Cottonwood Falls KS at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 53K Osage City KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,300 ft by 155 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from KEMP, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.