Cessna 172 accident near Sallisaw, Oklahoma, August 4, 2018
On August 4, 2018 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 172, registered N707TM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sallisaw, Oklahoma (Sallisaw Muni airport). It was a personal 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 loss of directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2018 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sallisaw, Oklahoma · Sallisaw Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 H, built 1966 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N707TM · no longer on the register · serial 17255665
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, during a solo flight in the traffic pattern, the airplane encountered a wind gust from the left during the landing roll. The airplane exited the left side of the runway and collided with a drainage culvert located about 100 ft east of the runway. The airplane's ground speed at the time of the collision was about 15 mph. The student reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right-wing spar. The METAR for the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 150° at 3 knots, and the skies were clear. No gusts were reported.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
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 › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Airport structure › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 25 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,881 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 31, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 2,500 hours total
- Operator: Fast Mover Aviation Llc
The flight
- Departed from: FSM Fort Smith AR at 3:30 pm
- Destination: JSV Sallisaw OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,006 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from KJSV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 9, 2019. 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 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.