Cessna 172 accident near Reno, Nevada, January 29, 2019
On January 29, 2019 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 2002 Cessna 172, registered N670CS, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Reno, Nevada (Minden-Tahoe 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 failure to maintain directional control during a rejected takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 29, 2019 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Minden-Tahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2002 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N670CS · registry record · serial 172S9098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll, about 65 knots, he applied aft pressure on the control yoke, and the airplane started to shake. The airplane continued to shake as he applied more aft pressure, so he rejected the takeoff. As he reduced power and released the pressure on the control yoke, the airplane veered right, but he overcorrected, and the airplane veered left, right, and then left again. The airplane exited the runway and impacted a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The student reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with 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
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 32 hours in all; 32 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,426 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 24, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flying Start Aero Services, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 4:45 pm
- Destination: MEV Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 7,399 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KMEV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N670CS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA19CA113.