Cessna 172 N9912Q accident near Galena, Idaho

Probable cause

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in a power-on stall and subsequent loss of airplane control.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that he was attempting to perform a crosswind, soft-field takeoff from a dry, turf airstrip. He set the flaps to 10°, and the airplane was in a nose-high attitude until the stall warning horn sounded. He then relaxed pressure on the yoke until the stall warning horn stopped. Shortly after liftoff, the airplane entered a power-on stall, and the pilot lost airplane control, and the airplane then began to descend to the runway. The airplane subsequently departed the runway and impacted a barbed wire fence.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing strut.

The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for GAA17CA341 for the full record.