Cessna 172P accident near Cleveland, Oklahoma, March 10, 1997
On March 10, 1997 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65753, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cleveland, Oklahoma (Cleveland Municipal airport). It was a positioning 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot/mechanic's improper installation of the spark plug, resulting in its separation from the engine. A factor was the unsuitable terrain available in the runway's overrun area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1997 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cleveland, Oklahoma · Cleveland Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65753 · registry record · serial 17275858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who is also an A&P mechanic, installed and torqued a new helicoil and spark plug. A satisfactory engine run was completed. During takeoff climb, at 300 feet AGL, 'the engine popped and lost power.' The pilot executed a 180-degree turn, and 'landed fast downwind.' During the landing roll, the aircraft overran the end of the runway and 'encountered a rut and flipped over' damaging both wings. An examination of the airplane revealed that the newly installed spark plug was hanging by its ignition wire.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 311 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,047 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1997; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Oklahoma State University
The flight
- Departed from: 95F at 10:45 pm
- Destination: SWO Stillwater OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW97LA116.