Cessna 172I accident near Gadsden, Alabama, January 22, 1992
On January 22, 1992 at about 1:17 am local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N35308, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gadsden, Alabama (Gadsden Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING BY THE PILOT UNDER EXAMINATION, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE DESIGNATED EXAMINER WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1992 · about 1:17 am local time
- Place
- Gadsden, Alabama · Gadsden Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N35308 · registry record · serial 17256704
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS TAKING HIS PRIVATE PILOT FLIGHT CHECK. THE FINAL LANDING WAS BEING ACCOMPLISHED, AT NIGHT, WHICH WAS A SHORT FIELD LANDING OVER A SIMULATED 50 FOOT OBSTACLE. THE LANDING LIGHT, TAXI LIGHT, AND RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE ON. AT TOUCHDOWN THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND THE PILOT UNDER EXAMINATION BEGAN A GO-AROUND AT A VERY SLOW AIRSPEED. FULL POWER AND RIGHT RUDDER WERE APPLIED. THE AIRPLANE YAWED LEFT AND FULL RIGHT RUDDER AND RIGHT AILERON WAS APPLIED. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF OF THE RUNWAY, THEN TRAVELED ABOUT 75-100 FEET, AND STRUCK THE WIND SOCK POLE.
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: 100 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,780 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1991; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Liberty Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,803 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:17 am from GAD, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.