Amateur-built Lancair 235 and Cessna 172L mid-air collision near Rootstown, Ohio, October 14, 2005
On October 14, 2005 at about 6:05 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built Lancair 235 (N235U) and Cessna 172L (N7768G), were involved in a mid-air collision near Rootstown, Ohio. 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout during cruise flight, which resulted in their failure to see and avoid each other and a midair collision.
The failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout during cruise flight, which resulted in their failure to see and avoid each other and a midair collision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 14, 2005 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Rootstown, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built Lancair 235
- Registration
- N235U · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N7768G · no longer on the register · serial 17259468
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built Lancair 235 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Lancair 235 airplane and a Cessna 172L airplane were destroyed when they collided in midair during day visual meteorological conditions. The Lancair departed on a personal flight from an airport approximately 38 miles south of the accident site, for a destination airport about 8 miles north-northwest of the accident site. Radar track data depicted the Lancair's flight path as north-northeast, on a direct path to the destination airport, at an altitude between 2,200 to 2,500 feet msl. The Cessna departed an airport about 15 miles west-southwest of the accident site, and flew eastbound with a flight instructor and dual student on an instrument training flight. Radar data indicated that the flight had numerous heading and altitude changes, consistent with the training mission. According to radar track data, during the final minute prior to the collision, the Lancair was on true course of about 356 degrees, with a ground speed of approximately 145 knots. The Cessna was on a true course of about 295 degrees, with a ground speed of approximately 100 knots, and an altitude of 2,300 feet. The relative angle as extrapolated from radar data, indicates that the Cessna would have been positioned about 45 degrees to the right of the Lancair's nose, and the Lancair would have been approximately 80 degrees to the left of the Cessna's nose. A witness to the accident stated that both airplanes appeared to be in straight and level flight prior to impact. Neither airplane was under air traffic control. Federal Air Regulations state that vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft. Postaccident inspection disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies with either airplane.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172L final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Lancair 235 airplane and a Cessna 172L airplane were destroyed when they collided in midair during day visual meteorological conditions. The Lancair departed on a personal flight from an airport approximately 38 miles south of the accident site, for a destination airport about 8 miles north-northwest of the accident site. Radar track data depicted the Lancair's flight path as north-northeast, on a direct path to the destination airport, at an altitude between 2,200 to 2,500 feet msl. The Cessna departed an airport about 15 miles west-southwest of the accident site, and flew eastbound with a flight instructor and dual student on an instrument training flight. Radar data indicated that the flight had numerous heading and altitude changes, consistent with the training mission. According to radar track data, during the final minute prior to the collision, the Lancair was on true course of about 356 degrees, with a ground speed of approximately 145 knots. The Cessna was on a true course of about 295 degrees, with a ground speed of approximately 100 knots, and an altitude of 2,300 feet. The relative angle as extrapolated from radar data, indicates that the Cessna would have been positioned about 45 degrees to the right of the Lancair's nose, and the Lancair would have been approximately 80 degrees to the left of the Cessna's nose. A witness to the accident stated that both airplanes appeared to be in straight and level flight prior to impact. Neither airplane was under air traffic control. Federal Air Regulations state that vigilance shall be maintained by each person operating an aircraft so as to see and avoid other aircraft. Postaccident inspection disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomalies with either airplane.
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 for the amateur-built Lancair 235 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 501 hours in all; 421 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 381.4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 1, 2004; 16.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,575 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TSO Carrollton OH at 5:45 pm
- Destination: 29G Ravenna OH
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,800 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from AKR, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172L from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,632 hours in all; 308 in the last 90 days; 68 in the last 30 days; 1,594 as pilot in command; 712 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,519 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Winds Flight Academy, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: AKR Akron OH at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
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.