Cessna 172L accident near Vicksburg, Michigan, July 11, 1996
On July 11, 1996 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N7545G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vicksburg, Michigan (Thrall Lake 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 premature raising of the flaps during a go-around. The presence of birds was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1996 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Vicksburg, Michigan · Thrall Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N7545G · no longer on the register · serial 17259245
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, prior to landing, he over flew the runway to check for deer, geese, and sand hill cranes which are 'common around this airport.' During landing, he touched down at approximately 40 miles per hour. As the nose gear touched the runway he saw four sand hill cranes 20 to 30 feet in front of him. He applied full power and pulled back on the yolk. The airplane was 'mushing, nose up, in the air. The pilot was 'retracting the flaps and pushing forward on the yolk to get the nose down.' The airplane impacted the terrain left of the runway on the left main landing gear, then the right main, then the nose gear. The nose gear collapsed and the airplane nosed over sustaining substantial damage.
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: 1,526 hours in all; 255 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,505 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,310 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1996; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JXN Jackson MI at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 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.
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.