Cessna 172P accident near Williamsport, Pennsylvania, April 5, 2001
On April 5, 2001 at about 7:57 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65630, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williamsport, Pennsylvania (Williamsport Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's premature raising of flaps resulting in his failure to establish a climb and his failure to maintain directional control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 5, 2001 · about 7:57 pm local time
- Place
- Williamsport, Pennsylvania · Williamsport Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65630 · no longer on the register · serial 17275792
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing, the airplane touched down and drifted right towards the infield. The pilot aborted the landing, but the airplane did not climb, and departed the left side of the runway. The stall warning horn sounded, the airplane struck a fence, and then came to rest on a railroad bed. The pilot stated that when he aborted the landing, he retracted the flaps completely from their fully deployed, 30-degree position. The pilot reported that the airplane reached a height of no more than 10 - 15 feet after he applied full throttle. According to the airplane's Information Manual, the flaps are to be retracted incrementally; to the 10-degree position until obstacles are cleared, and not fully retracted until the airplane reaches a safe altitude and 60 knots indicated airspeed. According to the FAA Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: "The effect of torque increases in direct proportion to engine power, airspeed, and airplane attitude. If the power setting is high, the airspeed slow, and the angle of attack high, the effect of torque is greater. During takeoffs and climbs, when the effect of torque is most pronounced, the pilot must apply sufficient right rudder pressure to counteract the left-turning tendency and maintain a straight takeoff path."
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
- Flight time: 156 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 24, 2001; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDG Reading PA at 6:45 pm
- Destination: IPT Williamsport PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,280 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from IPT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N65630 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.