Cessna 172M accident near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, July 8, 1984
On July 8, 1984 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N6700H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Geneva, Wisconsin (Americana airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1984 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Geneva, Wisconsin · Americana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N6700H · registry record · serial 17265543
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE WAS ON A SHORT FINAL APCH TO LAND WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED SUDDEN TURBULENCE. AT THAT TIME, THE PASSENGER IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT LURCHED AGAINST THE CONTROL WHEEL, CAUSING THE NOSE TO PITCH DOWN & THE ACFT TO BANK LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT BOUNCED ON THE RWY & WAS THEN LANDED. AFTER A SHORT ROLL, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE ARPT WAS LOCATED IN THE BOTTOM OF A SMALL VALLEY & HAD TREES ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RWY. ABOUT 1 HR AFTER THE OCCURRENCE, 2 OTHER PLTS FLEW THERE & BOTH STATED THAT THEY ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE & WIND SHEAR. ALSO, THE PLT OF N6700H STATED THAT THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PLT WAS USING THE SHOULDER HARNESS & HAD HIS SEAT FORWARD FOR MORE LEG ROOM FOR A PASSENGER IN THE BACK.
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
- Flight time: 302 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 190 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,491 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UGN Waukegan IL at 4:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:59 pm from JVL, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 CHI84LA284.