Cessna 172P accident near Bowling Green, Ohio, May 7, 1988
On May 7, 1988 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N5495K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bowling Green, Ohio (Wood County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- May 7, 1988 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Ohio · Wood County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5495K · registry record · serial 17274160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE REDUCED THE PWR TO IDLE WHILE ON FINAL APPCH AFTER DETERMINING THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS TOO HIGH. HE THEN LOWERED THE NOSE TO 'ACCELERATE THE DESCENT'. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN LONG ON THE RWY AT ABOUT 90 KTS, AND BEGAN TO PORPOISE. HE BECAME CONCERNED THAT THE AIRPLANE MIGHT OVERRUN THE RWY END, AND PUSHED THE NOSE DOWN TO GET THE AIRPLANE ON THE RWY. THE NOSEWHEEL HIT THE RWY HARD, AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ENGINE FIREWALL AND THE PROPELLER WERE DAMAGED DURING THE MISHAP.
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: student
- Flight time: 43 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 18 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,768 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 4, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PCW Port Clinton OH at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:50 pm from TOL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5495K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.