Cessna 172L accident near Culver, Indiana, January 21, 2001
On January 21, 2001 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N4378Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Culver, Indiana (Fleet Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the proper glide path not attained by both pilots during a short field landing. The snow bank was a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 21, 2001 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Culver, Indiana · Fleet Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N4378Q · registry record · serial 17260278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted a snow bank located at the approach end of the runway during a short field landing at the Fleet Field Airport, Culver, Indiana. The three certified flight instructors (CFIs) aboard the airplane were employed as CFIs at the accident airport. The right seat pilot was flying a stabilized approach when the left seat pilot, acting as pilot-in-command, took over the controls in an attempt to avoid the snow bank by executing a go-around. At the application of engine power, the airplane impacted the snow bank and left main landing gear separated from the airframe and impacted the horizontal stabilizer.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: January 19, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lyc. 032E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RCR Rochester IN at 8:30 pm
- Destination: IN73 Culver IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,400 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from GSH, 38 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.