Cessna 172D accident near Hague, Virginia, August 5, 1995
On August 5, 1995, a Cessna 172D, registered N2418Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hague, Virginia (Sanford Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CROSSWIND AND THE PROXIMITY OF TALL CORN (CROP) TO THE NARROW RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 1995
- Place
- Hague, Virginia · Sanford Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2418Y · no longer on the register · serial 172249718
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON A GRASS RUNWAY THAT WAS 44 FEET WIDE AND HAD TALL CORN GROWING ON BOTH SIDE. THE LANDING WAS MADE WITH A 7 KNOT CROSSWIND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR FIRST, SLIGHTLY LEFT OF THE CENTERLINE. HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE '...YAWS...LEFT BECAUSE [THE] LEFT MAIN IS ON GRASS FIRST.' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TALL CORN AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE CORN HAD NOT BEEN GROWN SO CLOSE TO THE RUNWAY.
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: 784 hours in all; 537 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,034 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 13, 1995; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEF Manassas VA at 11:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 2,268 ft by 44 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from NHK, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.