Cessna 172P accident near Northampton, Massachusetts, December 26, 2007
On December 26, 2007 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N5425K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Northampton, Massachusetts (Northampton airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the takeoff roll and inadequate supervision by the CFI.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 26, 2007 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Northampton, Massachusetts · Northampton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5425K · registry record · serial 17274106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that the student was to perform a short field takeoff. The student aligned the airplane on the centerline of the runway, applied the brakes, and increased engine power. The brakes were released and the airplane began the takeoff roll. The airplane suddenly veered off the centerline and struck a snow bank off the left side of the runway. The flight instructor stated that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or any of its systems prior to the accident.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,609 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBAF Northampton MA
- Destination: Northampton MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,365 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KBAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N5425K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.