Cessna 172K accident near Columbus, Ohio, March 22, 1990
On March 22, 1990 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N7275G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Port Columbus Intl airport). It was a personal 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE ADVERSE WIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 1990 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Port Columbus Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N7275G · no longer on the register · serial 17258975
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ELECTED TO FLY, THOUGH THE WIND WAS STRONG & GUSTY. HE RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS TAXIING NORTH TO RWY 28L, A GUST OF WIND PICKED UP THE TAIL OF THE ACFT, THEN IT NOSED OVER. THE 1650 EST WIND AT THE ARPT WAS FROM 220 DEG AT 17 GUSTING 28 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,690 hours in all; 978 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,961 as pilot in command; 865 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,510 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 24, 1989; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Olde Towne Flyers, INC
The flight
- Destination: RZK Chillicothe OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28L, 10,701 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 17 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from CMH
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.
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.