Cessna 172P accident near Chesapeake, Ohio, February 4, 1997
On February 4, 1997 at about 7:30 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62332, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesapeake, Ohio (Lawrence County airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain proper altitude during the approach at night. Related factors were: darkness, and the pilot's lack of night flying experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1997 · about 7:30 am local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Ohio · Lawrence County · 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
- N62332 · registry record · serial 172-75251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed at 0030 for a cross-country flight in night visual meteorological conditions. After a 2 hour flight, the pilot entered a left downwind for runway 26. Not satisfied with his approach, the pilot executed a go-around. He reentered the pattern on downwind for runway 8. Once established, the pilot reported that he turned base leg. After rolling wings level on base, the runway environment disappeared, and the landing light illuminated a row of trees. The pilot added full power, closed the carburetor heat, and established a climb attitude, but the airplane contacted trees and was damaged. Since no major impact occurred, the pilot reestablished his approach and completed the landing with no further occurrence, then taxied to the ramp. The pilot had 5.4 hours total night flight time, and this was his first night time logged as pilot-in-command.
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: 81 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 29 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,881 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 18, 1997; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGY Dayton OH at 5:30 am
- Destination: HTW OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,002 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 am from HTS, 5 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.
Other NTSB records under N62332 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.