Cessna 172P accident near Chesterfield, Virginia, May 31, 1990
On May 31, 1990 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N51706, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesterfield, Virginia (Chesterfield County). 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
THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1990 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Virginia · Chesterfield 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
- N51706 · no longer on the register · serial 17274339
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON APPROACH DURING THE FIFTH TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THE STUDENT PILOT NOTED A RAPID SINK RATE AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LEFT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. HE ADDED POWER TO ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT AND NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED LEFT OF THE RUNWAY. HE THEN RAISED THE FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND IT TOUCHED DOWN LEFT OF THE RUNWAY PAVEMENT. THE STUDENT PILOT'S LOGBOOK INDICATED THAT HE HAD NOT FLOWN WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR FOR OVER THREE MONTHS.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,178 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Delta Associates, INC
The flight
- Departed from: W98 Chesterfield VA at 11:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from RIC, 12 miles away
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.