Cessna 172 accident near Ankeny, Iowa, March 2, 1996
On March 2, 1996 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8626B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ankeny, Iowa (Ankeny Regional airport). It was a business 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 poor judgment in attempting flight operations in the existing wind condition, and the high gusting wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1996 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ankeny, Iowa · Ankeny Regional · 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
- N8626B · registry record · serial 36326
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported the winds were from 290 degrees at 22 knots gusting to 26. He back-taxied toward the south planning to take off on runway 36. He held the ailerons to the right and the elevators down. He turned to the right to perform a runup, as 'the right wing was about right angle to the wind out of 290 degrees, a strong gust of wind picked up the right wing....' The airplane nosed over off of the edge of the runway.
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: 1,725 hours in all; 837 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,171 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,226 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1995; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IKV
- Destination: IFA Iowa Falls IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 22 knots, gusting 31
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,800 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:25 pm from IKV
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.
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.