Cessna 172N accident near Windsor, New Hampshire, August 5, 2006
On August 5, 2006 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N73672, was substantially damaged in an accident near Windsor, New Hampshire (Windswept 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 pilot's delay in aborting the takeoff, which resulted in an overrun and subsequent collision with trees. A factor in the accident was the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2006 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Windsor, New Hampshire · Windswept Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N73672 · no longer on the register · serial 17267606
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a Cessna 172N attempted to takeoff to the south from a private turf runway. The pilot began the takeoff roll, and at rotation, "which may have been as much as 55 knots," he aborted the takeoff. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it overran the departure end of the runway, and it collided with trees. The pilot reported that while walking away from the airplane, he noticed "there was definitely a strong southbound wind and [he] realized that [he] should have taken off to the north." The pilot additionally reported that the winds were calm prior to his departure.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 139 hours in all; 139 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 23NH Windsor NH at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,700 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from KAFN, 20 miles away
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.