Cessna 172M N20305

Summary

On 13 December 2025 at about 01:01 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N20305 was involved in an accident near Palmer, Alaska, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 December 2025 at 01:01

Classification

Accident

Location

Palmer, Alaska, United States

Nearest airport

Palmer Municipal Airport (PAQ)

Coordinates

61.5889, -149.0864

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N20305

Category

Airplane

Year built

1972

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Birchwood → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ANC26LA008

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot reported that she was returning from a solo cross-country flight. During the landing roll, as she released back pressure on the flight controls, she stated that it felt like the right wheel “caught” and the airplane veered to the right. The student pilot attempted to correct with opposite rudder; however, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.