Cessna 172 accident near Summerdale, Alabama, July 17, 1993
On July 17, 1993 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N65735, was substantially damaged in an accident near Summerdale, Alabama (Chisenhall AG Service airport). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1993 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Summerdale, Alabama · Chisenhall AG Service · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N65735 · registry record · serial 17275842
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1700 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE WET SOD RUNWAY. DURING THE ROLL OUT THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE COULD NOT SAFELY STOP THE AIRPLANE AND A COLLISION WITH A DITCH WAS UNAVOIDABLE. AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED THE DITCH THE PILOT PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE CLEARED THE DITCH BUT COLLIDED WITH PECAN TREES. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT. ACCORDING TO THE AIRCAFT FLIGHT MANUAL APPROXIMATELY 615 FEET OF RUNWAY SURFACE IS NEEDED FOR THE LANDING ROLL ON A DRY SOD SURFACE. FINALLY THE ACCIDENT AIRPORT WAS NOT APPROVED FOR FLIGHT OPERATIONS BY AUBURN UNIVERSITY AVIATION.
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: 207 hours in all; 102 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 173 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,654 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 15, 1993; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Auburn University
The flight
- Departed from: AUO Auburn AL at 10:35 pm
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,500 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from PNS, 30 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.