Cessna 172P accident near Harrison, Arkansas, March 9, 1992
On March 9, 1992 at about 5:37 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54956, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrison, Arkansas (Boone County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER DESCENT RATE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1992 · about 5:37 am local time
- Place
- Harrison, Arkansas · Boone County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54956 · registry record · serial 17275090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UNAUTHORIZED PERSON(S) ENTERED A FBO AT APPROXIMATELY 2300 AND TOOK THE KEYS TO A CESSNA 172P. UPON RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD, APPROXIMATELY 90 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD, CAUSING THE NOSE WHEEL TO COLLAPSE. THE FORKS OF THE COLLAPSED NOSE GEAR DUG INTO THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE OVER ON ITS BACK. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND BY THE LOCAL POLICE AT 0025, AFTER THEY WERE ALERTED BY THE LOCAL FSS OF AN ACTIVATED ELT. THE OCCUPANTS OF THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED ON FOOT. SEVERAL OPEN AND UNOPENED CANS OF BEER WERE FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE. THE OCCUPANTS WERE NEVER IDENTIFIED. EVIDENCE INDICATED AT LEAST MINOR INJURY TO ONE OR MORE OCCUPANTS.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,786 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 29, 1992; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 6,161 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 am from HRO, 1 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.