BFO92LA097

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172M · Bedford, PA · July 13, 1992

Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
July 12, 1992, 23:20 local (Jul 13, 1992, 03:20 UTC)
Place
Bedford, PA
Injuries
4 serious
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N61941Cessna 172M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report June 30, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19920712055079A
Case key
11816

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot failed to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall.

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightLanding - aborted
Airspeed - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The airplane crashed at night about 800 feet past the end of the runway following an aborted landing. The pilot received his private pilot certificate six days prior to the accident. He had six hours of night flight time. The pilot does not recall the circumstances of the accident, but a passenger reported that the airplane landed hard. The pilot then increased power and the airplane lifted off, began turning left, and then descended to the ground. Witnesses said the airplane barely cleared a row of trees when the airplane pitched up and the wings began rocking back and forth. Witnesses said the engine was operating the entire time. The airplane struck the ground with the left wing and then came to rest inverted. The examination of the engine revealed the flaps were up and the elevator trim tab actuator corresponded with about a 5 to 10 degree nose up setting. The examination did not reveal evidence of mechanical malfunction.

Aircraft

Registration
N61941
Reported as
Cessna 172M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
64901
Airframe hours
2,841
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Bun Air Corporation
Registered owner
Bun Air Corporation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · June 15, 1992 · 21 hours before
Departed
4G9
Airport
4G9 · Bedford Airport, runway 21, 2,041 × 40 ft, asphalt

Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
22
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
73 total · 73 in this make and model · 36 as pilot in command

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
Calm
Visibility
7 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
68 °F, dew point 64 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
AOO, 1 nm away

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.