Cessna 172M accident near Bedford, Pennsylvania, July 13, 1992
On July 13, 1992 at about 3:20 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61941, was destroyed in an accident near Bedford, Pennsylvania (Bedford Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1992 · about 3:20 am local time
- Place
- Bedford, Pennsylvania · Bedford Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61941 · registry record · serial 64901
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE CRASHED AT NIGHT ABOUT 800 FEET PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING AN ABORTED LANDING. THE PILOT RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE SIX DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD SIX HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT DOES NOT RECALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT A PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD. THE PILOT THEN INCREASED POWER AND THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, BEGAN TURNING LEFT, AND THEN DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE BARELY CLEARED A ROW OF TREES WHEN THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP AND THE WINGS BEGAN ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING THE ENTIRE TIME. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE LEFT WING AND THEN CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE UP AND THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB ACTUATOR CORRESPONDED WITH ABOUT A 5 TO 10 DEGREE NOSE UP SETTING. THE EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 73 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 36 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,841 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 15, 1992; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bun Air Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: 4G9 at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,041 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from AOO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.