Probable cause
The student pilot’s loss of airplane control during takeoff, which resulted in a bounced landing and impact with the airport’s windsock.
NTSB analysis
The solo student pilot of the airplane reported that shortly after rotation, the airplane began to drift to the left of runway centerline. He tried/attempted to correct back to runway centerline, but the airplane continued to drift left. The airplane descended and landed hard. It bounced back into the air and impacted the windsock. The airplane came to rest upright inside the windsocks segmented circle.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, aft fuselage, right horizontal stabilizer, and right elevator.
The student 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 WPR23LA357 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Sep 27, 2023
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Redding, California
- Nearest airport
- Redding Muni (RDD)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Cessna 172R
- N-number
- N17274
- Category
- Airplane
- Year built
- 1998
- 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.