Cessna 172G accident near Ankeny, Iowa, November 17, 2006
On November 17, 2006, a Cessna 172G, registered N1374F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ankeny, Iowa (Rush City Regional airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's improper decision to land on an unlighted runway at night, and her resulting failure to attain a proper touchdown point leading to the landing over run. Contributing factors were the night (low light) condition and the ditch encountered during the overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2006
- Place
- Ankeny, Iowa · Rush City Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N1374F · registry record · serial 172-54869
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was substantially damaged when it encountered a ditch after over running the runway pavement during a night landing. The pilot reported that the runway lights did not come on when she attempted to activate them via the airplane radio prior to landing. She attempted to activate them a total of 3 times. She subsequently overflew the airport in order to identify the runway. She stated that she "flew downwind to where [she] estimated the end of the runway would be [and] turned to final." She noted that she flew over the runway "low" to see the centerline and decided to land. She then realized that the airplane had touched down "well down [the] runway." She was unable to stop before the end of the pavement and the airplane rolled into the grass. She stated that as the airplane slowed she attempted to turn back; however, she encountered a drainage ditch causing the nose landing gear to collapse and damaging the firewall. The pilot reported that after the accident she realized that the radio was set to the incorrect frequency. The radio was set to 120.9 instead of the correct Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) for the destination airport of 122.9. The airport manager reported that the runway lights functioned properly when activated after the accident. He also noted that the lights are normally off until activated by a pilot via the CTAF.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 520 hours in all; 469 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 478 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,052 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ROS Rush City MN at 9:45 pm
- Destination: IKV Ankeny IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from IKV
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 N1374F 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.