# Accident 19970518015889A: Cessna 172M, Galion, OH, May 18, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 18, 1997, 12:45 local time
- Place: Galion, OH
- Airport: Galion Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7296° N, 82.7899° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7296&lon=-82.7899&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4430R, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4430R) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,556 total, 1,293 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC97LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA096) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970518015889A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.4)THE INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH THE HELICOPTER MAIN ROTOR DOWNWASH DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.                                                           (-23) N4430R, A CESSNA 172M, DEPARTED RUNWAY 23 INTO THE WAKE TURBULANCE GENERATED BY A HEVY HELICOPTER CROSSING RUNWAY 23.  AFTER GAINING 50 AGL, AIRCRAFT DESCENDED, MADE NOSE GEAR HARD LANDING AND RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR.  FIREWALL HAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB NYC97LA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC97LA096), May 18, 1997: Cessna 172M (N4430R), Galion, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The inadvertent encounter with the helicopter main rotor downwash during the initial takeoff climb. Subsequently, the airplane descended and impacted the ground.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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