Cessna 172 accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, July 14, 1995
On July 14, 1995 at about 2:38 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6368E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Cedar Rapids Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's lack of experience in flying from the right seat. A factor was the steep final approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 14, 1995 · about 2:38 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Cedar Rapids Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6368E · no longer on the register · serial 46468
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR, WHO OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT, REPORTED THAT THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE 'SEEMED QUITE HIGH' WHEN IT WAS ABOUT 1/2 MILE OUT ON FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED ON THE NOSE GEAR AND THE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SLID 375 FEET AND STOPPED 50 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. A POST IMPACT FIRE ENSUED. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS FLYING A FULL STOP LANDING TO RUNWAY 27. WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, AT AN AIRSPEED OF 70 TO 80 MILES PER HOUR, THE AIRPLANE NOSED DOWN AND IMPACTED THE RUNWAY. 'THE STALL HORN DID NOT GO OFF.' HE 'FELT IT WAS AN UNCOMMANDED NOSE DOWN CONTROL INPUT.' THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTRIBUTED THE ACCIDENT TO THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN FLYING FROM THE RIGHT AND LEFT SEAT AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE FLYING FROM THE RIGHT SEAT. THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE REPORTED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,345 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,625 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 10, 1995; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Marion IA at 2:15 pm
- Destination: CID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 8,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:38 pm from CID
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.