Cessna 172M accident near Manilla, Arkansas, March 7, 2000
On March 7, 2000 at about 10:49 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20179, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manilla, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's performance of low altitude flight and his failure to maintain clearance with the power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2000 · about 10:49 pm local time
- Place
- Manilla, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20179 · registry record · serial 17261072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a low altitude flight over a lake area, the pilot climbed the airplane over a tree line. Suddenly, the airplane pitched down, the engine rpm's increased, and within seconds the aircraft pitched back up and began to vibrate. A forced landing was made in a soft cultivated field. During the landing roll, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane flipped to the inverted position. The white and red airplane came to rest approximately 1/2 mile from a high voltage power transmission line. Power company personnel reported that the two shield wires (120 feet agl) of the power line were down, and the 'propeller hub [spinner] was found dead center of the two shield wires and lying under the lines. Cable marks were visible on the hub.' Tree height was estimated at 75 to 100 feet in the vicinity of the power line. One of the propeller blades and the spinner exhibited physical impressions consistent with the diameter of the shield wire cable strands. Red paint transfers were noted on portions of the cable.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 343 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 190 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HKA Blytheville AR at 10:30 pm
- Destination: AWM West Memphis AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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 N20179 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.