Cessna 172 accident near Tateyama, Jp, June 3, 2017
On June 3, 2017 at about 5:50 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered JA3989, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Tateyama. 4 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 2017 · about 5:50 am local time
- Place
- Tateyama, Japan
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 P · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- JA3989 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On June 3, 2017, about 1450 Japan standard time (UTC +9), a Japanese registered Cessna 172P airplane, JA3989, operated by New Central Air Service, impacted snow-covered mountainous terrain near Tateyama, Toyama Prefecture, under unknown circumstances about 27 minutes after takeoff from the Toyama Airport, Toyama Prefecture, en route to the Matsumoto Airport, Nagano Prefecture. The airplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot and three passengers received fatal injuries. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Japan. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained by the Government of Japan. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Japan Transport Safety Board (JTSB) 2-1-2, Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-Ku, Tokyo 100-8918, Japan Phone: +81-3-5253-8814 Fax: +81-3-5253-1677 https://www.mlit.go.jp/jtsb/english.html
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.