Cessna 172 accident near Wauseon, Ohio, June 23, 1995
On June 23, 1995 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6403B, was destroyed in an accident near Wauseon, Ohio (Exit 3 airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain/maintain adequate altitude/clearance from obstacles during an attempted go-round. Related factors are the pilot's failure to attain the planned approach and the improper go-around procedures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1995 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Wauseon, Ohio · Exit 3 · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6403B · no longer on the register · serial 29603
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND AT DUSK, ON AN UNLIT TURF RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGH AND FAST DURING THE APPROACH TO LANDING, SO HE ELECTED TO GO AROUND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WENT TO FULL POWER AND PLACED THE FLAPS TO THE 30 DEGREE POSITION. THE PILOT WAS MANEUVERING THE AIRPLANE IN AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A GAS STATION LOCATED AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHEN HE REALIZED HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO CLIMB OVER WIRES. THE PILOT-RATED-PASSENGER STATED THAT HE HEARD THE STALL WARNING HORN PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH THE WIRES. THE AIRPLANE OPERATING HANDBOOK ADVISES PILOTS TO REDUCE WING FLAP SETTING TO 20 DEGREES IMMEDIATELY AFTER FULL POWER IS APPLIED FOR A GO AROUND.
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: 104 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 53 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT OH at 1:10 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 am from TOL
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.