Cessna 172L accident near Parkersburg, West Virginia, August 4, 2001
On August 4, 2001 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N7821G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Parkersburg, West Virginia (Wood County Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to obtain a proper rate of climb, resulting in a collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2001 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Parkersburg, West Virginia · Wood County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N7821G · no longer on the register · serial 17259521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing, the airplane bounced, and the student pilot applied power to "even it out a little." The airplane touched back down on the main landing gear and began to pull to the right. The student pilot applied power and aborted the landing. As the airplane began to climb, the student pilot observed trees in front of him, and realized that the airplane would not climb over them, and aborted the takeoff. The airplane impacted the trees and came to rest on its right side. A witness stated that he observed the airplane about 20 feet above the runway, "in a real high nose attitude or a high angle of attack." The airplane did not appear to gain any altitude for about 75 percent of the runway.
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: student
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 61 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 2000; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E-2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PKB Parkersburg WV at 9:00 pm
- Destination: ZZV Zanesville OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 9:25 pm from PKB
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.