Cessna 172K accident near Danville, Arkansas, April 3, 1996
On April 3, 1996 at about 5:21 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N84262, was substantially damaged in an accident near Danville, Arkansas (Danville 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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind. Factors were the crosswind and the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 3, 1996 · about 5:21 pm local time
- Place
- Danville, Arkansas · Danville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N84262 · no longer on the register · serial 17258398
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that while performing a full stop landing on runway 29, the 7 knot crosswind blew him to the right side of the centerline, and he elected to land on the right side of the runway. After touchdown, 'the right wheel left the runway into the grass,' and the airplane veered off the right side of the runway. The nose wheel 'buried in the mud,' and the airplane came to rest in the inverted position.
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: 28 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,383 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1995; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2O (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M06 Russelville AR at 4:30 pm
- Destination: 32A
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,021 ft by 61 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.