Cessna 172P accident near Greenfield, Indiana, November 23, 1999
On November 23, 1999 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65668, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greenfield, Indiana (Mount Comfort airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot not maintaining aircraft control. A contributing factor was the student's aural perception.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1999 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Greenfield, Indiana · Mount Comfort · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65668 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted the runway during a student solo landing following a reported sputtering of the engine when power was reduced to idle. Examination of the engine and airframe revealed no mechanical anomalies.
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: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,650 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 30, 1999; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Geist Air Services
The flight
- Departed from: MQJ Mount Comfort IN at 3:00 pm
- Destination: MQJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,901 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 170° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 23,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from IND, 250 miles away
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.