Cessna 172R accident near Athens, Michigan, July 5, 2000
On July 5, 2000 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172R, registered N996WW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athens, Michigan (David'S 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 failure of the student pilot to maintain control of the aircraft, the inadequate supervision by the flight instructor, and the delayed remedial action performed by the flight instructor. A factor to the accident was the runway edge light that was struck during the go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2000 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Athens, Michigan · David'S Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172R · all 172Rs on the register
- Registration
- N996WW · registry record · serial 17280726
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was attempting a soft-field landing, under the supervision of his flight instructor, and during a go-around lost control of the aircraft, striking a runway edge light with the airplane's horizontal stabilizer and elevator.
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: 420 hours in all; 284 in this make and model; 141 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 368 as pilot in command; 120 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 741 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 8, 2000; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,457 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTL Battle Creek MI at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 9C2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 154°F (68°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from AZO, 17 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.