Cessna 172RG accident near Lexington, Kentucky, November 15, 2012
On November 15, 2012, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9985B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky (Blue Grass Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The rupture of the landing gear’s hydraulic pressure hose, which resulted in the depletion of all of the hydraulic fluid, and the inability of the landing gear to raise or lower. Contributing to the accident was the installation of an unapproved hydraulic hose by unknown maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 2012
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · Blue Grass Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9985B · registry record · serial 172RG1107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arrival at the intended destination airport during an instructional flight, the pilot receiving instruction attempted to extend the airplane's landing gear. Only the nose gear and the left main landing gear extended and locked in the down position. Both pilots reported they attempted to retract the landing gear; however, the left main landing gear remained in the down and locked position and the nose landing gear's position could not be determined. The flight instructor reported that he performed the emergency gear extension procedure specified in the airplane's flight manual, but the right main landing gear did not extend or lock into position. The pilots elected to divert to a nearby airport. During the landing roll, the airplane veered off the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the elevator. An examination of the airplane revealed that a landing gear pressure hose had ruptured and the hydraulic fluid was depleted. It was constructed of material similar to that used in the automotive industry, thus, the hose likely was not an approved airplane part. No logbook entry was provided that disclosed when the hose was replaced or inspected. Because of the rupture, the lack of hydraulic fluid within the system precluded the right main landing gear from extending and locking as well as the left main and nose landing gear from retracting.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA13LA058.