Cessna 172 accident near Rochester, New York, February 16, 2020
On February 16, 2020 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 172, registered N1126U, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Rochester, New York (Greater Rochester Intl 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to take off after perceiving a rudder issue during taxi operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2020 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, New York · Greater Rochester Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 M, built 1976 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1126U · no longer on the register · serial 17266855
- 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, during his preflight inspection, he noted several anomalies. He added that the right rudder pedal was not functioning properly before the flight during taxi; however, he decided to go ahead with the flight. After takeoff, he reconsidered the flight and returned to the airport. While on approach to landing, the airplane was hard to control, so he chose to troubleshoot the control issue in the air and initiated a go-around. The airplane lifted off the runway and began to climb but then rapidly rolled right and then left and then impacted terrain. In addition, the pilot stated he lost directional control due to a rudder anomaly during a flight in the airplane several weeks earlier. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that the wings had sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the rudder control system revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,307 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Last flight review: January 14, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,958 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 2020; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 -E2D (piston); 6,454 hours total
- Operator: Schubert Brothers Aviation Inc
The flight
- Departed from: ROC Rochester NY at 3:40 pm
- Destination: ROC Rochester NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:52 pm from ROC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N1126U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. 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 ERA20CA102.