Cessna 172 accident near Charleston, West Virginia, July 23, 1992
On July 23, 1992 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N12921, was destroyed in an accident near Charleston, West Virginia (Mallory airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED TO OUTCLIMB OBSTACLES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1992 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · Mallory · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N12921 · no longer on the register · serial 17262373
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 33 WHEN, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NOSE GEAR FIRST AND BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED AND TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN, PARTIALLY OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE WITNESS STATED THAT THE PILOT ADDED SOME POWER AND WAS HOLDING THE AIRPLANE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE WHILE CLIMBING SLOWLY WITH THE FLAPS FULL DOWN. THE WITNESS REPORTED THAT AS THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED TREES PAST THE RUNWAY END, THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT AND HEADED DOWNWIND, STILL IN A HIGH PITCH ATTITUDE BEFORE IT DESCENDED AND CRASHED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO LAND, AND WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING, HE APPLIED FULL POWER TO TAKEOFF. AS HE WAS CLIMBING HE TURNED TO AVOID TREES PAST THE RUNWAY END. HE TRIED TO GAIN AIRSPEED, BUT THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND NOSED INTO THE GROUND.
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: 155 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,601 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 19, 1992; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WV12 So Charleston WV at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 1,909 ft by 25 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from CRW, 1 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.