Cessna 172P accident near Mountain Home, Arkansas, April 12, 1995
On April 12, 1995 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N55409, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mountain Home, Arkansas (Baxter County Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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 FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE GUSTY CROSSWIND. A FACTOR WAS GUSTING CROSSWINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1995 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Mountain Home, Arkansas · Baxter County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N55409 · registry record · serial 17275176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 270 DEGREES AT 15 KNOTS GUSTING TO 26 KNOTS. DURING THE FLARE/TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 23 THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED GUSTY WINDS, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, AND STRUCK A FENCE. STRUCTURAL DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE WINGS AND EMPENNAGE.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 447 hours in all; 340 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 427 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,516 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 24, 1995; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLU Monroe LA at 4:55 pm
- Destination: BPK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 17 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from FLP, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N55409 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.