Cessna 172K accident near Amery, Wisconsin, January 16, 2026
On January 16, 2026 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1969 Cessna 172K, registered N79118, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Amery, Wisconsin. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 16, 2026 · about 5:30 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Amery, Wisconsin · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K, built 1969 · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N79118 · registry record · serial 17257893
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On January 16, 2026, about 1130 central standard time, a Cessna 172 airplane, N79118, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Amery, Wisconsin. The pilot was not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 maintenance test flight. The pilot reported that during a post-maintenance test flight, he heard and felt a bang followed by violent shaking of the airframe with partial loss of engine power. The airplane was circling over Amery Municipal Airport, Amery, Wisconsin, and subsequently the pilot chose to reenter the traffic pattern for runway 36. As the airplane turned onto the base leg for runway 36, total engine power was lost. The pilot realized he would not make the runway and elected to perform a forced off-field landing in a snow-covered field. During the rollout in the snow, the airplane nosed over which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, and both wings. Prior to the flight, the Lycoming O-320-E20 reciprocating engine had a complete overhaul and was reinstalled onto the airplane. The mechanic reported that there were no issues with the engine observed during the ground testing before the maintenance flight. The airplane was retained for further examination.
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 engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern downwind) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Osceola Aerosport LLC
Weather at the time
- 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 NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N79118 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,682 aircraft on the register
- Amery Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Wisconsin 1,622 since 1982 · 226 in the last ten years
- Wisconsin 6,162 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN26LA094.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.