Cessna R172K accident near Highland Hills, Ohio, January 23, 1996
On January 23, 1996 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N3107V, was destroyed in an accident near Highland Hills, Ohio. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions at a low altitude with known obstacles in the area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 1996 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Highland Hills, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N3107V · registry record · serial R1722239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
One pilot stated that she and the pilot of the accident airplane were scheduled to fly the early morning traffic watch route with traffic reporter passengers. She stated that she was the first pilot to take off, and she relayed pertinent weather information to the pilot of the accident airplane via VHF radio. The pilot reported that she informed the pilot of the accident airplane that weather conditions were marginal VMC, with deteriorating weather conditions in the southeast portion of the planned route. She reported that the pilots discussed cutting the morning traffic report short if conditions continued to get worse. Witnesses on the ground near the accident site stated that a very dense fog had developed, and the top of the tower was no longer visible from the ground. They heard a loud popping sound and saw the airplane fall to the ground. Postaccident investigation revealed that the airplane impacted the 300 foot cellular phone tower at approximately the 290-foot level.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,411 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,824 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 14, 1996; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-KB1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Traffik, INC
The flight
- Departed from: BKL Cleveland OH at 11:21 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from CGF, 8 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.