Cessna 172M accident near Amelia, Virginia, May 1, 1992
On May 1, 1992 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20209, was destroyed in an accident near Amelia, Virginia (Hill Top airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE AND ALTITUDE THAT RESULTED IN AN LANDING OVERRUN AND COLLISION WITH AN EMBANKMENT. CONTRIBUTING WAS FAILURE TO INITIATE A GO AROUND AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 1, 1992 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Amelia, Virginia · Hill Top · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20209 · no longer on the register · serial 1726097
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO FLIGHT INSTRUCTORS WERE ABOARD. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE OPERATOR, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. A SHORT FIELD LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED ON A 2100 FOOT LONG GRASS STRIP. A LANDING WAS MADE AT AN APPROACH SPEED OF 70 MPH, USING FULL FLAPS. DURING THE LANDING, A DECISION WAS MADE TO ABORT THE LANDING BECAUSE THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ADEQUATELY DECELERATING AND INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY LENGTH REMAINED. ENGINE POWER WAS INCREASED TO ABORT THE LANDING, AND THE AIRPLANE SUBSEQUENTLY COLLIDED WITH AN EMBANKMENT ABOUT 350 FEET PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE LANDED ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 676 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 550 as pilot in command; 62 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1991; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wings & Nuts Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: W98 Chesterfield VA at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,100 ft by 120 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.