Cessna 172K accident near Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, September 3, 2008
On September 3, 2008 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N79210, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania (Skyhaven 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 improper airspeed while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 3, 2008 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania · Skyhaven 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
- N79210 · no longer on the register · serial 17257964
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the Cessna 172K stated that he entered the pattern for runway 1, a 2007-foot-long, 50-foot-wide, asphalt runway. His traffic pattern altitude was 200 feet higher than the required 1,500 feet. He performed a slip to lose the excess altitude and establish an 80-mph descent on a downwind leg, with 10 degrees of flap extension. The pilot added another 10 degrees of flaps, reduced the throttle to 1,300 rpm, and turned onto a base leg. The airplane's speed remained at 80 mph, instead of decreasing to the 75 mph speed he was trying to attain. Although his speed was still higher than the speed he wanted, he turned to final and overshot the runway "numbers." He added, "the plane was traveling too fast to make the turn at the end of the runway." Consequently, he "ran off the end of the runway into an embankment." The pilot did not report any mechanical or flight control anomalies prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 244 hours in all; 244 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 189 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,623 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cherry Ridge Airport Flying Club Incorporated
The flight
- Departed from: N30 Honesdale PA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 76N Tunkhannock PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 2,007 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from AVP, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N79210 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.