Cessna 172 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, June 3, 2020
On June 3, 2020 at about 4:45 pm local time, a 1998 Cessna 172, registered N478ER, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Las Vegas, Nevada (North Las Vegas 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 a soft-field takeoff and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2020 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · North Las Vegas Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 R, built 1998 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N478ER · no longer on the register · serial 17280623
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that during the instructional flight with the student pilot on the controls to practice a soft-field takeoff, the airplane started turning to the left "drastically" shortly after the airplane became airborne. The student told the flight instructor that he could not control the airplane, so the instructor assumed control to try and realign the airplane to runway centerline and re-touch down to abort the takeoff. Despite the flight instructors control inputs, the airplane continued to veer left and exited the left side of the runway. The airplane collided with the terrain substantially damaging the left wing. The pilot reported no 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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- 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
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 595 hours in all; 306 in this make and model; 173 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days; 533 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 6, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 71 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,699.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2020; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 4,785 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV at 4:45 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30L, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from VGT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on July 14, 2020. 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 Array of Left Wing and Left Aileron Damage | PDF, 2 pages | 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.