Cessna 172G accident near Dover, Delaware, July 18, 1998
On July 18, 1998 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N5907R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dover, Delaware (Chandelle Estates airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to attain the proper touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1998 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dover, Delaware · Chandelle Estates · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5907R · registry record · serial 17253576
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, his flight was uneventful. He overflew the airport and elected to land on runway 22 over the trees. He said the sink rate was good, the airspeed was 70 mph, and the aircraft floated almost to midfield. He tried to go around, but the airplane was not building speed quick enough, and there were trees and power lines in the vicinity of the airport. The airplane exited the 2,533 foot-long runway, and struck a ditch. The pilot said there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 320 degrees at 8 knots.
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: 207 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 169 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W93 Orange VA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 0N4 DE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,533 ft by 28 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from DOV, 5 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.