Cessna 172H accident near Atkinson, Nebraska, March 16, 1995
On March 16, 1995 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N8078L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Atkinson, Nebraska (Stuart-Atkinson Muni 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR THE GUSTY CROSSWIND. THE WIND WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 1995 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Atkinson, Nebraska · Stuart-Atkinson Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8078L · registry record · serial 17256278
- 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 WHILE LANDING ON RWY 29, ABOUT 10 FT ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND OVER THE THRESHOLD, A GUST OF WIND PULLED UP THE LEFT WING PUTTING THE RIGHT WING ON THE GROUND.
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: 134 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ONL O'Neill NE at 6:45 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 4,040 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N8078L 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.