# NTSB investigations: Cessna 172N: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB ERA24FA292](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA292.md): Cessna 172N · Lock Haven, PA · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jul 4, 2024 · N739GV · Destroyed
  > The student pilot’s premature turn to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern at low airspeed and altitude, resulting in a collision with trees and terrain.
- [NTSB ERA24FA096](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24FA096.md): Cessna 172 · Weston, FL · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jan 23, 2024 · N737VC · Substantial damage
  > The pilots’ spatial disorientation in dark night visual meteorological conditions, which resulted in their failure to maintain altitude and a subsequent descent and impact with a swamp.
- [NTSB CEN23LA271](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA271.md): Cessna 172N · Siloam Springs, AR · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Jun 30, 2023 · N739GU · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines while on final approach to land.
- [NTSB WPR22LA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA069.md): Cessna 172N · Auburn, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Dec 22, 2021 · N6280F · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain altitude during an instrument approach, which resulted in an impact with power lines.
- [NTSB ERA19FA161](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA161.md): Cessna 172 · Tyrone, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · May 1, 2019 · N733KZ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in controlled flight into trees and terrain.
- [NTSB WPR18LA241](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18LA241.md): Cessna 172 · Afton, WY · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Aug 13, 2018 · N5660J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance after an encounter with a downdraft while maneuvering in a valley with a high-density altitude, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.
- [NTSB CEN18FA227](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18FA227.md): Cessna 172N · Rotan, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 15, 2018 · N734BS · Destroyed
  > The pilot's reckless decision to conduct low-level flight over a canyon, resulting in the airplane's impact with power lines and terrain.
- [NTSB WPR17FA196](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA196.md): Cessna 172N · Bolinas, CA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Sep 7, 2017 · N737QQ · Substantial damage
  > The non-instrument rated private pilot's improper decision to embark on a flight and continue to fly into forecasted instrument meteorological conditions and mountain obscuration while conducting a visual flight rules flight.
- [NTSB WPR13CA152](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13CA152.md): Cessna 172N · Gila Bend, AZ · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 17, 2013 · N5802J · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during an attempted go-around.
- [NTSB ANC13LA021](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13LA021.md): Cessna 172N · Kalskag, AK · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 5, 2013 · N5290J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to take off into deteriorating weather conditions, which resulted in a loss of visual reference and the subsequent controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the severity of the rear seat passenger’s injuries was the incorrect…
- [NTSB ERA10CA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10CA289.md): Cessna 172N · Sterling, MA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 31, 2010 · N6371D · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to not continue with the go-around, which resulted in a collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction due to the passenger’s panicked condition.
- [NTSB WPR09LA122](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA122.md): Cessna 172N · Big Bear Lake, CA · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Feb 20, 2009 · N6443E · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering in a ravine. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue flight in an area that exceeded the climb rate capabilities of the airplane.
- [NTSB SEA08LA191](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA191.md): Cessna 172N · Burbank, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Aug 30, 2008 · N172ST · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper preflight and in-flight planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's loss of situational awareness while conducting the normal and emergency checklists during his turn from base to final…
- [NTSB LAX08FA246](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08FA246.md): Cessna 172N · McMurray, WA · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jul 27, 2008 · N75558 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's improper decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological weather conditions. Contributing to the accident were low ceilings, reduced visibility, and mountainous terrain.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('2072434')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '120' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence?model=2072434

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