Cessna 175 accident near Zanesville, Ohio, June 17, 1990
On June 17, 1990 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 175, registered N7296M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zanesville, Ohio (Riverside 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY PRELFIGHT THE AIRPLANE WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1990 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Zanesville, Ohio · Riverside · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N7296M · registry record · serial 55596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED TAKING OFF WITH AN INDICATED FULL FUEL SUPPLY. HE FLEW FOR 2 1/2 HOURS AND MADE SEVERAL TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. DURING THE LAST TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 200 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. WHEN A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED A 4 FT TALL POST AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED 6 OUNCES OF FUEL IN THE RIGHT WING FUEL TANK AND 3 1/2 GALLONS IN THE LEFT WING TANK. THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING HANDBOOK STATED THERE WERE 4 GALLONS OF UNUSABLE FUEL IN EACH WING TANK.
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: 1,070 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 1,009 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,682 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1989
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental GO-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
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.
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.