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Cessna 172 breaks through ice while landing on frozen lake

By General Aviation News Staff · December 2, 2025 · 7 Comments

The pilot overflew a frozen lake near Red Lake, Minnesota, and passed on the original landing area due to ice cracks and heaves.

He flew to another area of the lake and located a suitable landing spot for the Cessna 172M.

He completed a low pass to survey the landing area and confirm its suitability.

During the landing roll, he was unable to stop the airplane in the surveyed area. The airplane continued into a crack in the ice and became partially submerged.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and lower fuselage.

Probable Cause: The pilot’s inadequate landing surface evaluation and failure to stop the airplane on the frozen lake, which resulted the airplane continuing into a crack in the ice.

NTSB Identification: 193566

To download the final report. Click here. This will trigger a PDF download to your device.

This December 2023 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

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Comments

  1. Joe Henry Gutierrez says

    December 4, 2025 at 12:19 pm

    It was an accident folks, he tried but failed, that’s all, this is a true accident, anybody know the difference ???

    Reply
  2. Michael A. Schulz says

    December 4, 2025 at 8:48 am

    I didn’t think being able to stop on ice was a viable option.

    Reply
  3. Mike Haraseviat says

    December 3, 2025 at 7:46 am

    Hopefully he hops a seaplane rating to avoid a violation.

    Reply
  4. Steve says

    December 3, 2025 at 7:34 am

    How many times do we have to say: “You can’t fix stupid.” The fix will be unaffordable insurance premiums …

    Reply
  5. Brett Papworth says

    December 3, 2025 at 7:15 am

    THIS is why we suffer such high insurance rates … it isn’t rocket science…

    Reply
  6. rwyerosk says

    December 3, 2025 at 6:16 am

    Scratch another Legacy aircraft……..The insurance company is going to take a dim view of this so called accident……

    Reply
  7. Rick Ewart says

    December 3, 2025 at 6:14 am

    That Dumb Ass was fortunate that he didn’t drown!

    Reply

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