Cessna 172M accident near Griswold, Iowa, July 1, 2012
On July 1, 2012 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73182, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Griswold, Iowa (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an attempted go-around, resulting in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2012 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Griswold, Iowa · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73182 · registry record · serial 17267309
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger departed from a 2,500-foot-long private airstrip; they then made two passes over the airstrip before returning to land the airplane. The pilot reported that his vision was affected by the setting sun, crop shadows, and a barn during the landing and that he landed long and fast. As the end of the airstrip approached, the pilot applied power for a go-around, but, according to the pilot, the engine did not produce power; the airplane became airborne, and the pilot turned left, but the airplane could not hold altitude. The airplane impacted a field just south of the airstrip. A witness reported that the engine maintained power throughout the accident sequence; additional witnesses reported that the airplane lost airspeed and stalled while in a turn. Examination of the propeller blades revealed signatures consistent with engine power being produced at the time of impact; examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any preaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The accident is consistent with inadequate airspeed followed by an aerodynamic stall.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,111 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 2012
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAIO Atlantic IA
- Destination: Griswold IA
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from KAIO, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.