Cessna 172N accident near Petersburg, Ohio, May 18, 1993
On May 18, 1993 at about 6:44 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N7355E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petersburg, Ohio (Private Airstrip airport). 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON A WET GRASS STRIP, AND HIS FAILURE TO PERFORM A GO AROUND. THE WET GRASS RUNWAY WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1993 · about 6:44 pm local time
- Place
- Petersburg, Ohio · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7355E · no longer on the register · serial 17272903
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE 'ENTERED GROUND EFFECT' WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND AT A SHORT GRASS AIRSTRIP. AT MIDFIELD, THE PILOT 'REALIZED THAT A GO AROUND WAS APPROPRIATE BUT I DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH RUNWAY TO DO SO, SO I BEGAN MY ROLLOUT AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP DUE TO THE WET GRASS AND THE LIMITED AMOUNT OF RUNWAY LEFT.' THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED TREES. A TAILWIND PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND THE GRASS WAS WET. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED.
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: 162 hours in all; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 59 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,261 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 10, 1993; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Crosswind Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 4G4 North Lima OH at 5:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,600 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 13,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from YNG, 13 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.