Cessna 172M accident near Monticello, Iowa, September 28, 2022
On September 28, 2022 at about 2:50 pm local time, a 1974 Cessna 172M, registered N5244R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Monticello, Iowa (Monticello 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper approach airspeed and glidepath which resulted in a long landing and his inability to stop the airplane on available runway and the subsequent runway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2022 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Monticello, Iowa · Monticello Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M, built 1974 · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5244R · registry record · serial 17263458
- 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 the brakes were not effective during landing rollout. He allowed the airplane to depart the paved runway into the adjacent grass area to slow down. The airplane encountered a shallow ditch which damaged the fuselage immediately aft of the firewall, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The firewall and nose landing gear were also damaged. A mechanic completed a postaccident examination and was unable to identify any anomalies with respect to the brake system. The mechanic commented that the brake system can be affected if the parking brake is partially engaged at takeoff; however, the pilot reported that the parking brake was not used during the flight. The mechanic noted the airplane departed the pavement about 800 ft from the end of the 4,400 ft runway and encountered a drainage ditch. The airplane traveled about 600 ft past the ditch before it stopped. Based upon this distance, the pilot likely landed long and with excessive airspeed which resulted in an inability to slow the airplane sufficiently before encountering the end of the runway.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,523 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: September 2, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2021; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8C4 Tipton IA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: MXO Monticello IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.48 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KDBQ, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDBQ 281953Z 03006KT 10SM CLR 15/02 A3048
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 20, 2023. 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 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Aircraft Owner Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Mechanic Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Conversation Summary -- FAA Inspector | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Accident Photos | PDF, 4 pages | 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.