Cessna 172N accident near Canton, Michigan, June 26, 2000
On June 26, 2000 at about 10:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N3416E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canton, Michigan (Mettetal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the CFI delayed initiating a go-around during the landing. Factors associated with the accident were the student pilot's inadequate handling of the airplane, the crosswind condition, and the soft terrain on which the airplane touched down.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2000 · about 10:20 pm local time
- Place
- Canton, Michigan · Mettetal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N3416E · no longer on the register · serial 17271537
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The CFI and student were practicing landings when the accident occurred. The CFI stated the student flying and the airplane began to float during the landing. The student then over corrected for the crosswind and once advised of this, the student took out some of the correction. The airplane then began to balloon so the CFI added power and the student corrected for the ballooning. The CFI stated the student then stopped correcting for the crosswind and the airplane was pushed to the left side of the runway. The CFI instructed the student to go around and the student hesitated. The CFI stated he took control of the airplane, added full power, and reduced the flap setting to 20 degrees. He stated, 'I could not get the airspeed fast enough to obtain lift and we settle[d] to the ground in the grass on the left side of the runway.' The airplane contacted soft terrain and nosed over.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 837 hours in all; 456 in this make and model; 263 in the last 90 days; 71 in the last 30 days; 728 as pilot in command; 461 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,860 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 12, 2000; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1D2 at 10:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,305 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from YIP, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.