Cessna 172 accident near Van Wert, Ohio, October 15, 2008
On October 15, 2008 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N20745, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi near Van Wert, Ohio (Van Wert County Regional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane while taxiing on the wet grass.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2008 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Van Wert, Ohio · Van Wert County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N20745 · registry record · serial 172-63826
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was taxiing the airplane on the grass beside the runway when the airplane went into a ditch. The airplane's tail and propeller were damaged. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that the empennage had sustained substantial damage. The inspector reported that the airplane was taxiing on the grass parallel to closed runway 27. The grass was wet and the airplane was too close to the ditch when it slid into the ditch.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during taxi defining event
- Ground collision during taxi
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 488 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Van Wert County Regional Authority
The flight
- Departed from: VNW Van Wert OH
- Destination: VNW Van Wert OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN09CA029.