Cessna 172N accident near Blue Ash, Ohio, May 24, 2008
On May 24, 2008 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75528, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Blue Ash, Ohio (Cincinnati-Blue Ash 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 separation of the throttle cable from the linkage during the approach to land and the altitude/clearance not being available to the pilot during the forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the electrical wires the airplane impacted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2008 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Blue Ash, Ohio · Cincinnati-Blue Ash 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
- N75528 · no longer on the register · serial 17267783
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the student pilot's sixth practice landing approach, he pulled the throttle back and the engine went to full power. He pulled the mixture control out to stop the engine running at full power. He set up a best glide speed and determined that for the conditions present that the "approach would fall short of the runway." The wheels impacted electric wires and the airplane came to rest inverted. Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors examined the wreckage and found that the throttle cable end separated from the linkage.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during approach defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Contributed to outcome
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 128 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,354 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2008
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISZ Blue Ash OH at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,499 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from LUK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.