Cessna 172M accident near Lynchburg, Virginia, June 6, 1986
On June 6, 1986 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20372, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lynchburg, Virginia (Falwell airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- June 6, 1986 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lynchburg, Virginia · Falwell
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20372 · no longer on the register · serial 17261233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AS THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT AN UNFAMILIAR ARPT DURING A X-COUNTRY FLT BECAUSE A PASSENGER WAS FEELING ILL. THE RWY WAS 2900 FT LONG WITH A 5% UPSLOPE AT MID-FIELD. THE PLT STATED HE MISJUDGED HIS ALT AND AIRSPEED DURING THE APCH. APRX 1/3 THE DISTANCE DOWN THE RWY, THE PLT APPLIED FULL PWR TO GO-AROUND BUT THE ACFT CONTACTED THE RWY AND BOUNCED. THE ACFT THEN VEERED LEFT OFF THE RWY. THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT IN THE GRASS AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A TREE.
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: 113 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,150 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 26, 1985; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AIY Atlantic City NJ
- Destination: ROA Roanoke VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28, 2,900 ft by 24 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.