Cessna 172M accident near South Bend, Indiana, February 26, 2014
On February 26, 2014 at about 1:00 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 172M, registered N9801V, was substantially damaged in an accident near South Bend, Indiana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot involved and the phase of flight when the damage was incurred were not determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2014 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- South Bend, Indiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M M, built 1974 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9801V · no longer on the register · serial 17264509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an annual inspection on February 26, 2014, a mechanic discovered buckling, compression, and kinking of both firewall sections. In addition the front floor sections, front belly sections, front belly skin, center pedestal, and numerous stringers, and angles were damaged. The airplane was operated by a flying club. The flying club was unable to factually determine when the damage took place; however, it is possible that the damage was associated with nosewheel damage that was discovered earlier on December 2, 2013.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,324 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 8, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wings INC
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9801V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.