Cessna 172K accident near Middlefield, Ohio, October 2, 1998
On October 2, 1998 at about 6:11 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N78624, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middlefield, Ohio (Geauga 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 inadequate preflight inspection which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 2, 1998 · about 6:11 pm local time
- Place
- Middlefield, Ohio · Geauga County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N78624 · registry record · serial 17257691
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After purchasing the airplane, the pilot took off without visually checking the fuel level in the tanks. After flying locally and landing at his home airport, the pilot elected to perform one more take off and landing. During the initial climb out, about 300 feet agl, the engine lost power. Past midfield and unable to land on the remaining runway, the pilot made a left 90 degree turn. Faced with an unsuitable landing area, the pilot turned right 45 degrees to land diagonally in a small field. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane prior to impacting a tree with the left wing. Upon examination of the airplane, no mechanical malfunctions were found with the airframe or the engine. A total of 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from both tanks. The airplane's Pilot's Operating Handbook listed the unusable fuel as 3 gallons.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 385 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 307 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 28, 1998; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7G8 at 6:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 3,500 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 13,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from YNG, 20 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.