Cessna 172RG accident near Pontiac, Michigan, February 16, 1985
On February 16, 1985 at about 8:26 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6312R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pontiac, Michigan (Pontiac 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1985 · about 8:26 pm local time · cases in 1985
- Place
- Pontiac, Michigan · Pontiac · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6312R · registry record · serial 172RG0160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT SLID INTO A SNOWBANK AT THE END OF A LNDG ROLL ON AN ICY RWY WITH A X-WIND. THE PLT SAID THAT HE DID NOT USE BRAKES BECAUSE OF THE ICY CONDITION OF THE RWY. THE X-WIND WEATHERVANED THE ACFT TO THE LEFT AND INTO THE SNOW ALONGSIDE THE RWY.
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: 442 hours in all; 308 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 337 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,372 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360FIAG (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1G5 Medina OH at 7:15 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27, 3,250 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:26 pm from PTK, 1 miles away
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N6312R on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,691 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,676 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-360FIAG 1,070 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Oakland County International · nearest airport
- Medina Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Michigan 2,107 since 1982 · 230 in the last ten years
- Michigan 7,231 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CHI85LA112.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.