Cessna 172N accident near Lovelock, Nevada, May 28, 1995
On May 28, 1995 at about 3:27 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4773E, was destroyed in an accident near Lovelock, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's intentional flight at low altitude and subsequent collision with transmission wires during dusk light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1995 · about 3:27 am local time
- Place
- Lovelock, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4773E · no longer on the register · serial 17271638
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESS OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING IN A SOUTHERLY DIRECTION AT A LOW ALTITUDE PARALLELING A PRIVATE CROP DUSTER STRIP. THEY WATCHED AS THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED PAST THE AIRSTRIP AT THE LOW ALTITUDE AND THEN COLLIDE WITH ELECTRICAL POWER LINES. ACCORDING TO THE POWER CO., THE WIRES ARE LOCATED ABOUT 1,056 FEET FROM THE END OF THE DUSTER STRIP AND ABOUT 37 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AT THE POINT OF CONTACT. THE WIRES ARE NOT MARKED. THE LIGHT CONDITION AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS DUSK.
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: 129 hours in all; 4 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,725 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 10, 1995; 68 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: FLX Fallon NV at 2:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from LOL, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.