Cessna 172 accident near Urbana, Ohio, July 29, 1984
On July 29, 1984 at about 5:07 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N3891S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Urbana, Ohio (Grimes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 29, 1984 · about 5:07 pm local time
- Place
- Urbana, Ohio · Grimes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N3891S · no longer on the register · serial 17251091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT HE ARRIVED AT HIS FLIGHT PLANNED DESTINATION 15 MINUTES EARLY SO HE CONTINUED THE FLIGHT AN ADDITIONAL HOUR. THE PLT EXPERIENCED AN ENG FAILURE WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO THE RWY AT THE REVISED DESTINATION ARPT. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALT AND THE LANDING GEAR CONTACTED TREES. THE ACFT LANDED SHORTOF THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE TTL FLT TIME WAS 5.4 HRS. THE PLT STATED THAT EITHER THE FUEL FLOW ENROUTE WAS GREATER THAN EXPECTED OR THE FUEL TANKS WERE NOT FULL WHEN HE DEPARTED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 733 hours in all; 416 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 620 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,345 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 22, 1984; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H42 Mexico MO at 12:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 5
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N3891S 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.