Cessna 172N accident near Holland, Michigan, December 4, 2002
On December 4, 2002 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5321D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holland, Michigan (Tulip City Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot failed to maintain directional control during landing roll. Additional factors include the student pilot's lack of total flight experience, the CFI's inadequate supervision, and the ice and snow on the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 2002 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · Tulip City Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5321D · no longer on the register · serial 17272516
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane sustained substantial damage when it veered off the runway and struck a snow bank. The student pilot had a total of 10.4 hours of flight time when he departed on his first solo instructional flight. He departed and entered a left hand traffic pattern for a full stop landing. He reported that he maintained 65 KIAS on final and extended the flaps to 30 degrees and "made a perfect landing on the center of runway 26." The airplane drifted left so he added right rudder to get the nose wheel back on centerline. He reported, "The plane did not respond as I was on the ice on the side of the runway." The airplane veered off the runway and hit a 12-16 inch high snow bank on the side of the runway. The inspection of the runway revealed it was covered with snow and ice.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 10 hours in all; 10 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,433 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 2002; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIV Holland MI at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.50 inHg
- Observation at 5:05 pm from BIV
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.
Other NTSB records under N5321D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.