Cessna 172N accident near Wauseon, Ohio, December 3, 2011
On December 3, 2011 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737ET, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Wauseon, Ohio (Fulton County airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's loss of directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2011 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wauseon, Ohio · Fulton County · 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
- N737ET · registry record · serial 17269367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot lost directional control during the sixth landing on his initial solo flight. He reported experiencing a shifting wind at the time of the accident. The airplane departed the runway pavement and encountered a ditch, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot commented that he might have used the wrong rudder pedal in his attempt to maintain directional control. He stated that there were no failures or malfunctions associated with the airplane prior the accident. The local wind was recorded at 6 knots or less during the 2-hour period surrounding the time of the accident.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,540.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Stewart Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: USE Wauseon OH at 7:30 pm
- Destination: USE Wauseon OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 3,882 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.34 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from TOL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 26, 2012. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conversation Record -- Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Observations -- Toledo Express Airport | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.