Cessna 172L accident near Akron, Ohio, July 7, 1985
On July 7, 1985 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N7841G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Akron, Ohio. 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 7, 1985 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, Ohio
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N7841G · no longer on the register · serial 17259541
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING IN A CEMETERY FOLLOWING A LOSS OF PWR WHILE ON FINAL APCH AT AKRON FULTON ARPT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, 10 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE ADDED TO THE ACFT AND THE ENG OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN STARTED. AN A&P MECHANIC INSPECTED THE ACFT AND REPORTED THE GROUND FOR THE TRANSFER PUMP FROM THE REAR AUX TANK TO THE RIGHT MAIN TANK WAS DISCONNECTED AND THE PUMP WAS INOP. ALSO, THE FUEL QUANTITY GAGE FOR THE AUX TANK WAS INOP.
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: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,246 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 1984; 119 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORF Norfolk VA at 4:15 pm
- Destination: CAK Akron OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 50,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from CLE, 45 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.
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.