Cessna 172M accident near Cincinnati, Ohio, March 31, 1997
On March 31, 1997 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N73455, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cincinnati, Ohio (Blue Ash airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions and failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a collision with tree(s) and a ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 1997 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Cincinnati, Ohio · Blue Ash
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N73455 · registry record · serial 17267593
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the initial takeoff roll in a crosswind, he held left aileron control into the crosswind. He took out the correction as the airspeed approached 50 knots in order to rotate. Shortly thereafter, the left wing started to lift, and he applied some aileron and rudder correction. However, the airplane became airborne briefly, veered 30 degrees to the right of the runway, and settled. The pilot attempted to realign the flight path with the runway. Also, he tried to clear a 6 foot tall tree (beside the runway), but the airplane struck the top of the tree, descended, struck a ditch, and then nosed over. At the time of the accident, the wind was reported to be from 330 degrees at 15 gusting 25 knots. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector did not disclose any evidence of mechanical malfunction.
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: 303 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 256 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,090 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 1996; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I77 at 1:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from LUK, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N73455 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.