Cessna 172P accident near Lambertville, Michigan, April 29, 1990
On April 29, 1990 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62032, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lambertville, Michigan (Toledo Suburban airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE ABORTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1990 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lambertville, Michigan · Toledo Suburban · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62032 · registry record · serial 17275199
- 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 HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED BY A SICK REAR SEAT PASSENGER, AND HE CAME IN HIGH AND FAST ON HIS APPROACH TO LANDING. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ON LANDING, THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING. HE REPORTED THAT WHEN HE HAD A POSITIVE RATE OF CLIMB, HE ATTEMPTED TO INCREMENTALLY RAISE FLAPS, BUT INADVERTENTLY RETRACTED THEM COMPLETELY 'BECAUSE OF ADRENALIN.' THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND LEFT WING TIP FIRST.
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: 58 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,569 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 23, 1990; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Suburban Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,928 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from TOL, 11 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.