Cessna 172N accident near Marlow, Oklahoma, November 28, 2007
On November 28, 2007 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N6555D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marlow, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident were the low altitude for recovery and the gusty tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2007 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Marlow, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N6555D · no longer on the register · serial 17272863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following a low pass over the pilot's parent's house, the airplane was observed two miles southwest, flying in a southerly direction at less then 1,000 feet above ground level, with a tailwind of 20 knots gusting to 26 knots. Moments later the airplane stalled and rolled to the right and then pitched down in a nose low attitude. As the pilot was attempting to recover from the resultant dive, the airplane impacted into the tops of trees and subsequently impacted the ground. Examination of the airplane disclosed no anomalies that would have prevented normal system operation.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 600 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,314 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 2007; 36.6 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: LAW Marlow OK at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from LAW, 35 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N6555D 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.