Cessna 172 M accident near Freemont, Ohio, September 21, 1985
On September 21, 1985 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172 M, registered N9391H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Freemont, Ohio (Fremont airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 21, 1985 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Freemont, Ohio · Fremont · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M · all 172 Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9391H · no longer on the register · serial 17266134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT JUST AFTER LIFTOFF A GUST OF WIND PUSHED HIM BACK DOWN ALMOST ON THE RUNWAY. HE COULD NOT ACCELERATE BUT DID KEEP THE AIRCRAFT STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AS HE DRIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY THROUGH A FENCE AND INTO SOME TREES AT A LOW AIRSPEED. WHEN ASKED HOW THIS ACCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN PREVENTED, HE STATED THAT HE NEEDED MORE DUAL INSTRUCTION.
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: 300 hours in all; 130 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 4,030 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from FDY, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9391H 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.