Cessna 172M accident near Holland, Michigan, July 12, 1983
On July 12, 1983 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9277, was substantially damaged in an accident near Holland, Michigan (Holland Park Twsp. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1983 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Holland, Michigan · Holland Park Twsp. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9277 · registry record · serial 17261616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING LANDING. THIS RUNWAY IS 3075 FEET LONG. THE WIND WAS CALM AND THE PILOT FAILED TO USE FLAPS. THE PILOT WAS MAKING A SIMULATED ENGINE FAILURE-POWER OFF-LANDING. HE SAID WHEN IT BECAME APPARENT THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF RUNWAY HE CHOSE TO TURN LEFT TO AVOID A DITCH BUT IN DOING SO HE COLLIDEDWITH A STAND OF YOUNG SAPLINGS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 552 hours in all; 464 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 428 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,743 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 1983; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 3,075 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.