Cessna 172H accident near Westminister, Maryland, May 5, 1997
On May 5, 1997 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N3748F, was destroyed in an accident near Westminister, Maryland (Clearview Airpark 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 misjudged landing distance on the runway and his failure to perform a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 1997 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Westminister, Maryland · Clearview Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N3748F · registry record · serial 17255243
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot's initial landing attempt resulted in a go around on the 1,845 foot long runway, with a 278 foot displaced threshold and a greater than 2% downward incline starting at midfield. On his second attempt, the pilot estimated the touchdown point was about 300 feet from the numbers, and the airplane continued to the end of the runway even with constant braking. The Federal Aviation Administration Inspector reported that the airplane touched down about midfield, and drifted off the runway during rollout. Braking was attempted with one main wheel on the pavement and the other wheel on the grass. The brakes were locked as the airplane went off the runway, down the embankment, and flipped over.
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: 393 hours in all; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 336 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,850 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 12, 1996; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CXY Harrisburg PA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 2W2
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,845 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from BWI, 28 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.
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.