Cessna 172N accident near Penrose, North Carolina, July 10, 2005
On July 10, 2005 at about 6:37 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N73747, was destroyed in an accident near Penrose, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to use the full length of the runway for takeoff, and the inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 2005 · about 6:37 pm local time
- Place
- Penrose, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N73747 · registry record · serial 17267646
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The passenger stated the pilot conducted a preflight inspection and an engine run up before departing Transylvania County Airport and no deficiencies were noted. The pilot did not use the entire length of the runway for takeoff and the airplane lost power after takeoff. The runway is 2,903 feet in length. Review of performance data revealed the airplane would have a ground roll of 870 feet. A witness observed the airplane on its takeoff roll. He said the airplane was about one third down the runway and did not seem to be going very fast, nor did it sound like the airplane was developing full power. The witness turned around, looked back towards the departure end of the runway and the airplane had disappeared from view. The witness then observed black smoke off the departure end of the runway. Another witness stated she heard an airplane approaching her location. The engine sounded like it was at a low rpm, which she attributed to the sound being masked by the terrain. The airplane came into view and was observed at a low altitude in a steep nose down left turn with the left wing perpendicular to the ground. Examination of the crash site revealed a scar was present on the ground and extended 23 feet 10 inches long. Pieces of the left red and white forward wing tip and left red navigation light were located in the ground scar. One propeller blade strike and a red and white paint transfer were located on a road 27 feet down the crash debris line. The left wing was pushed aft and separated. The left wing was bent upward at a 90-degree angle 9 feet 6-inches outboard of the wing root and accordion crushing was located on the leading edge of the wing and wing skin. The right wing was separated at the wing root and was located forward of the left wing. No anomalies were noted with the airframe, flight controls, or engine assembly and accessories.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 68 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,027.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2005; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Greenville Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 22W Brevard NC at 6:36 pm
- Destination: GMU Greenville SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from AVL, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.