Cessna 172P incident near Kelley'S Island, Ohio, April 18, 2008
On April 18, 2008 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N162HD, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing (landing roll) near Kelley'S Island, Ohio (Kelly'S Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's selection of the wrong runway and a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 18, 2008 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kelley'S Island, Ohio · Kelly'S Island · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N162HD · registry record · serial 17274762
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
"THIS CASE WAS MODIFIED JULY 15, 2008." The pilot reported the winds were from the southwest at 7 knots when he attempted to land on runway 27. He reported he made a go around during his first landing attempt because he was too high and fast. He entered the traffic pattern again using a lower altitude and a slower airspeed. He stated he used full flaps and touched down approximately 500 feet down the runway at 60 to 65 knots. He stated the airplane was in full contact with the runway when he applied the brakes and the airplane began to skid. He stated he released the brakes and reapplied them, but the airplane continued to skid. The pilot reported the airplane slowed slightly, but it continued off the end of the runway into the grass. The nose gear contacted the edge of a roadway and the nose gear strut collapsed vertically damaging the firewall reinforcement panel. The skid marks on the runway began approximately 656 from the west end of the runway. These marks were approximately 30 feet in length. The marks then stopped for about 30 feet prior to the beginning of additional intermittent skid marks. The airplane came to rest 284 feet from the departure end of the runway. The reported winds in the area varied from 160 degrees at 13 knots gusting to 16 knots, to 210 degrees at 10 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The Ohio State Highway Patrol Sergeant who responded to the accident reported the winds were out of the southeast at 10 knots. Photos taken by the Sergeant showed the windsock indicating a wind out of the east.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 77 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 42 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SKY Sandusky OH at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 89D Kelley'S Island OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,203 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 13 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from TDZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI08IA113.