Cessna 172K accident near Holland, Michigan, January 17, 2015
On January 17, 2015 at about 7:30 pm local time, a 1969 Cessna 172K, registered N7061G, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Holland, Michigan (West Michigan Rgnl 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control while landing in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2015 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · West Michigan Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K P, built 1969 · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N7061G · no longer on the register · serial 17258761
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a full stop landing to runway 26 at his home airfield. During the landing roll, a strong gusty crosswind lifted the airplane's left wing, the airplane veered right, and the pilot lost control. The airplane exited the runway and impacted a snow bank where it nosed over and came to rest inverted. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures contributed to the accident. A review of weather information revealed a prevailing wind from 210 degrees at 21 knots gusting to 28 knots, with a peak wind gust of 30 knots occurring prior to the pilot's landing.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 534 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 49,985 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIV Holland MI at 6:50 pm
- Destination: BIV Holland MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 21 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from KBIV, 1 miles away
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.
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.