Cessna 172F accident near Tonopah, Nevada, October 31, 1994
On October 31, 1994, a Cessna 172F, registered N8210U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tonopah, Nevada (Tonopah 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 excessive taxi speed and improper remedial action after the nose gear began to shimmy. The nose gear shimmy (nose gear vibration) and the berm were factors in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 1994
- Place
- Tonopah, Nevada · Tonopah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8210U · no longer on the register · serial 17252110
- 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 HE WAS TAXIING IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION WITH A RIGHT QUARTERING TAILWIND. HE SAID HE TRIED TO KEEP THE AIRPLANE'S TAXI SPEED SLOW AND WAS APPLYING MINIMUM POWER WITH THE CONTROL YOKE FORWQRD (ELEVATOR DOWN). WHILE TAXIING, THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE LANDING GEAR BEGAN TO SHIMMY. THE PILOT PULLED THE CONTROL YOKE BACK AND APPLIED BRAKING TO CORRECT THE NOSE SHIMMY. HE SAID THAT THE WIND RAISED THE TAIL AND THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO 'WHEELBARROW' ON THE NOSEGEAR AND TURNED TO THE LEFT. THE AIRPLANE EXITED THE TAXIWAY AND ENTERED ONTO THE SOFT DIRT NEXT TO THE TAXIWAY. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A BERM AND NOSED 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: 798 hours in all; 748 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 736 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,411 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 15, 1994; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPH
- Destination: WVI Watsonville CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 6,162 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.