Cessna 172 accident near Zelienople, Pennsylvania, April 20, 2024
On April 20, 2024 at about 8:24 pm local time, a 1999 Cessna 172, registered N684SP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Zelienople, Pennsylvania (Zelienople Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the gusting crosswind condition during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 20, 2024 · about 8:24 pm local time
- Place
- Zelienople, Pennsylvania · Zelienople Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 1999 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N684SP · registry record · serial 172S8095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While inbound to the airport the pilot stated that he listened to the automated terminal information service, which indicated that the wind was from 290° at 11 kts with gusts to 20 kts. The pilot selected runway 35 for the landing, and to compensate for the wind, he added an extra 5 knots to the approach speed. After passing the runway threshold during the final approach, while about 20 feet above the runway surface, the airplane suddenly rolled to the right and the right wingtip contacted the ground. The pilot further described that he thought that the airplane had encountered a significant wind shear. He then leveled the wings and added power to abort the landing, but the airplane impacted the runway several seconds later. The airplane came to rest in the grass to the left of the runway and the airplane’s fuselage and right wing were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A surface weather observation taken about 9 minutes before the accident reported wind from 310° at 12 kts, with gusts to 17 kts. The wind conditions reported during the hour preceding and the hour following the accident included similar gusting crosswind conditions, with some directional variability/shearing reported about 40 minutes before and 1 hour after the accident time.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 206 hours in all; 205 in this make and model; 132 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 16, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,219 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 2024; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 6,219 hours total
- Operator: Condor Aero Club INC
The flight
- Departed from: UNV State College PA at 6:57 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 4,933 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm from KPJC
Weather report (METAR): KPJC 202015Z AUTO 31012G17KT 10SM SCT055 10/M02 A3007 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on December 2, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | NTSB Record of Conversation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record - Factual Weather Information | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Automatic Dependent Surveillance A�� Broadcast (ADS-B) Tabular Data | spreadsheet | Download |
| 6 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.
