Cessna 172M accident near Cornell, Wisconsin, May 2, 2000
On May 2, 2000 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N13145, was destroyed in an accident near Cornell, Wisconsin (Cornell Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot not maintaining aircraft control and the stall/spin he encountered. A factor was the extended flaps.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2000 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Cornell, Wisconsin · Cornell Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N13145 · no longer on the register · serial 172-62528
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was destroyed by impact with terrain and by fire following a loss of control during climbout. The pilot and two passengers sustained fatal injuries. A witness stated, 'I observed him taxi and the next I observed was the takeoff. I observed some flaps that seemed to be a short field takeoff. It appeared to not gain the normal altitude. He seemed to be in a climb attitude (not steep) and the flaps remained on. My estimate is aprox. 1 mile before he made his left turn.' He further stated, 'He made the normal pattern for downwind and was still in a climb attitude but not gaining altitude and the flaps appeared to be on. I observed downwind and he seemed to still not gain altitude and appeared to be about 1 1/2 tree lengths above the trees. My line of vision was then obscured by a tree and I heard the crash. I can not remember if the engine was running at the time of impact. It was through the rest. (During the initial climb and takeoff [the airplane operator] ran into the Unicom and called for [the pilot] to raise the flaps. No response. The flaps I believe never went up.)' Another witness stated, 'Crashed/looked as if stalled then nose down and left. Airplane sounded at full power still at or till sound of crash.' The airplane was found impacting terrain approximately 80 degrees pitch down. An on-scene investigation revealed flight control and engine continuity and the engine exhibited a thumb compression at all cylinders. The flap jackscrew was recovered and exhibited 5.9 inches of thread extension which indicated 40 degrees of flap extension.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 223 hours in all; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,958 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1999; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Cornell Aero Works
The flight
- Departed from: 4T5 WI at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,420 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from RPD, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.