Cessna 172 accident near Factoryville, Pennsylvania, July 20, 2017
On July 20, 2017, a 1979 Cessna 172, registered N4876F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Factoryville, Pennsylvania (Factoryville-Seamans airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2017
- Place
- Factoryville, Pennsylvania · Factoryville-Seamans · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 N, built 1979 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4876F · registry record · serial 17273094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that he had recently returned to flying after a lengthy period of inactivity and that this was his first solo flight after completing a comprehensive flight review. According to the pilot, after completing the traffic pattern, he landed the airplane at the midpoint of the 2,400-ft-long runway with 10 knots of excess airspeed and a slight tailwind. Despite maximum braking, the airplane overran the departure end of the runway and struck dense brush, which resulted in substantial damage to the engine firewall. The pilot further reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal 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
What happened, in order
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 435 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 371 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,424 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 20, 2017; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 3,622 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 9N3 Factoryville PA at 11:45 pm
- Destination: 9N3 Factoryville PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N4876F 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.