Cessna 172M accident near Kelley'S Island, Ohio, August 21, 1988
On August 21, 1988 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N62920, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kelley'S Island, Ohio (Kelley'S Island 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).
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
- August 21, 1988 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Kelley'S Island, Ohio · Kelley'S Island · 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
- N62920 · no longer on the register · serial 17262849
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER CROSSING THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A WIND SHIFT AND ELECTED TO ATTEMPT A GO-AROUND. THE PILOT DISCONTINUED THE ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND WHEN HE JUDGED THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO CLEAR TREES LOCATED AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT 'FORCED' A LANDING WITH 'ABOUT 100 YARDS' OF RUNWAY REMAINING, AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT BEFORE IT RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED ACROSS A ROAD, AND ONTO THE GRASSY OVERRUN, WHERE THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUCK A SMALL DITCH. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP IN SOME BRUSH AT THE EDGE OF THE TREES.
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: 92 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 30 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,752 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 3, 1988; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Suburban Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 5G9 Lambertville MI at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,270 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from TOL, 50 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.