Probable cause
The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.
NTSB analysis
The student pilot was attempting a full-stop landing during a solo flight. Upon touchdown, the airplane veered off the west side of the runway into a drainage ditch and flipped over. The airplane sustained wrinkling of the right wing and a bent wing spar resulting in substantial damage. The pilot was uninjured.
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN09CA437 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Jul 13, 2009
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Pine River, Minnesota
- Nearest airport
- Pine River Regional Airport (PWC)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172K
- N-number
- N79908
- Category
- Airplane
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Instructional
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.