Cessna 172A accident near Lebanon, Ohio, October 20, 1996
On October 20, 1996 at about 5:27 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N9890T, was destroyed in an accident near Lebanon, Ohio. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper aircraft handling by the tow pilot and/or the glider pilots, which allowed the tow plane and glider to get out of position with one another; and failure of the aircrews (in both aircraft) to ensure a timely release of the glider tow rope.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 1996 · about 5:27 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N9890T · no longer on the register · serial 47690
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of flight (flt) was to demonstrate tow release failure of a glider from a tow plane & to land under tow. The flt instructor (CFI) in the glider said the standard procedure for the tow plane was to depart with 10 deg of flaps & to turn left after takeoff. He said the tow pilot took off with 20 deg of flaps & made a right turn, then entered a steep turn to the left. Also, he said that during the steep turn, slack developed in the tow rope. The CFI tried to disconnect the tow rope, but was unable. The student said the rope became 'taught pulling up on the tow plane's tail.' The student then actuated the release; this time the rope released. The tow plane continued the left turn, nosed down, & struck the ground. The glider was landed uneventfully. Neither the tow plane nor the glider was equipped with a radio. Exam of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failure of the tow plane's flt controls or engine; 30 feet of tow rope was found attached to the tow plane, which had failed under tension. Two witnesses reported that the tow plt's hands always shook. One witness said his hands were shaking 'excessively' on the day of the accident. During toxicology tests, an undetermined amount of metoprolol was detected in the tow plt's blood & urine. Metoprolol is a medication that is frequently approved by the FAA for use by pilots with high blood pressure; drugs like metoprolol may also be used to treat a tremor.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,150 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,275 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Franklin 6A-350-02 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I68 OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from DAY, 35 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.