Cessna 172G accident near Cambridge, Minnesota, October 15, 1999
On October 15, 1999 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4621L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cambridge, Minnesota (Cambridge Municipal 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 fractured main landing gear due to the improper maintenance by an unknown person(s) and the inadequate annual inspection by an unqualified person.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 1999 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Cambridge, Minnesota · Cambridge Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4621L · registry record · serial 172-54616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Cessna 172G impacted the runway during landing following a loss of directional control. The right main landing gear strut had fractured at a weld attaching the cabin entry step to the strut. .' Inspection of the right main landing gear revealed that the cabin entry step was welded on the bottom side of the strut. The cabin entry step on the left main landing gear strut was also welded to its strut. There was no logbook entry regarding the welding of the cabin entry step. The last annual inspection was not performed by an inspection authorized (IA) airframe and powerplant mechanic. The Cessna Service Manual states the following under section 5-7, Step Bracket Replacement, 'The step bracket is secured to the landing gear strut with Conley-Weld, or a similar epoxy base adhesive.'
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,780 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,155 as pilot in command; 435 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,230 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1999; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ANE Blaine MN at 7:45 pm
- Destination: CBG
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from CBG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.