Cessna 172M accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas, June 8, 2001
On June 8, 2001 at about 10:58 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N5394H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hot Springs, Arkansas (Not Applicable airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's delayed go-around, which resulted in the airplane impacting trees during the aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2001 · about 10:58 pm local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Arkansas · Not Applicable · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5394H · no longer on the register · serial 17265420
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was flying a cross-country flight when he encountered haze and became disoriented. The pilot elected to divert "and land as soon as possible." The pilot then became concerned about flying into the mountains and elected to make a precautionary landing in a field. According to the pilot, he had to "push the nose down to take advantage of the full length of the strip." During the landing roll, the pilot realized that he "was running out of landing room," and he pulled the nose up and applied full power. The pilot added that he thought he had cleared the trees; however, he saw leaves "fly off the prop," and the airplane slowed down. Subsequently, the airplane "stalled left," impacted the ground, and came to rest upright in the field.
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: student
- Flight time: 39 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,680 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 2, 2000; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 32A Danville AR at 5:30 pm
- Destination: HOT Hot Springs AR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from HOT, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.