No fatalities

CESSNA 172 S accident at Watkins, CO, 17 Mar 2021

Watkins, CO, United States

On March 17, 2021, a CESSNA 172 S operated by CIVIL AIR PATROL was involved in an aviation accident near Watkins, CO. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff and the instructor pilot’s inadequate supervision of the pilot’s takeoff. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 17 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff and the instructor pilot’s inadequate supervision of the pilot’s takeoff.

— NTSB Determination

Contributing factors

PilotInstructor/check pilot