Cessna 172 accident near Farmington, Missouri, August 25, 1990
On August 25, 1990 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4347R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Farmington, Missouri (Farmington airport). It was an instructional 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
REMEDIAL ACTION WAS NOT ATTAINED BY THE CFI. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE AIRSPEED AND PORPOISE ENCOUNTERED BY THE DUAL STUDENT PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1990 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, Missouri · Farmington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4347R · registry record · serial 17263098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PRACTICING LDGS DURING A DUAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PLT ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO DECAY RESULTING IN A HARD LDG AND A REBOUND INTO THE AIR. THE STUDENT ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE PITCH ATTITUDE, BUT WAS OUT OF PHASE WITH THE OSCILLATIONS. THE CFI SAID THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO STABILIZE THE ACFT BEFORE IT HIT NOSE DOWN, COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. THE ACFT THEN SKIDDED TO A STOP, ON ITS NOSE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,240 hours in all; 425 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,030 as pilot in command; 79 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 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: FAM at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,895 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from CGI, 60 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.