Cessna 172 accident near Meadville, Pennsylvania, July 1, 2020
On July 1, 2020 at about 10:45 pm local time, a 1975 Cessna 172, registered N9127H, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Meadville, Pennsylvania (Port Meadville 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 distraction while taxiing, which resulted in a taxiway excursion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 2020 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Meadville, Pennsylvania · Port Meadville · 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 1975 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N9127H · registry record · serial 17265959
- 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 while taxing to the runway, he was programming his GPS unit for the flight. When he looked up, he realized the airplane was near the end of the taxiway. He applied the brakes and attempted to stop on the pavement but was unsuccessful. The airplane rolled into the grass and down an embankment and sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Workload management › Task scheduling › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,162 hours in all; 528 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,073 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 21, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,021 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 6,000 hours total
- Operator: Moraine Flying Club Inc
The flight
- Departed from: GKJ Meadville PA
- Destination: 3G9 Butler PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07, 5,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from GKJ
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.
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.