Cessna 172 accident near La Porte City, Iowa, December 12, 1992
On December 12, 1992 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N54959, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Porte City, Iowa (Nichols airport). It was an instructional 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 ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1992 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- La Porte City, Iowa · Nichols · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N54959 · no longer on the register · serial 172-75091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A LANDING WAS BEING ATTEMPTED ON A SNOW COVERED SOD AIRSTRIP WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE STUDENT PILOT STATED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF HE CIRCLED THE AIRSTRIP TO VISUALLY IDENTIFY THE LANDING AREA FROM THE AIR. FOLLOWING AERIAL MANEUVER PRACTICE THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRSTRIP TO LAND. INSTEAD OF ALIGNING WITH THE AIRSTRIP, HE LINED UP FOR THE LANDING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY BETWEEN THE RUNWAY LIGHTS AND A FENCE. THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED 8-10' DEEP SNOW ON TOUCHDOWN.
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: student
- Flight time: 47 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 23 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,020 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 13, 1992; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Nichols Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 6C8 at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 2,570 ft by 94 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from ALO, 14 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 N54959 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.