Cessna 172RG accident near Glens Falls, New York, August 16, 2003
On August 16, 2003 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9673B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glens Falls, New York (Warren County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control during the flare/touchdown, which resulted in a hard landing. Factors in this accident were wind gusts and the pilot's improper decision to land during thunderstorm activity.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 2003 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glens Falls, New York · Warren County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9673B · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0960
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on approach to the airport, the pilot encountered a thunderstorm cell, and elected to utilize runway 30, a 4,000-foot-long, 100-foot-wide, asphalt runway. The pilot said he approached at a faster airspeed in expectation of crosswinds or wind shear. Upon touchdown, the aircraft was picked up from the front left quarter by a wind gust and landed hard. The airplane sustained damage to the propeller, firewall, nose gear and lower portions of the fuselage. The pilot did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. A weather observation taken at the airport, about the time of the accident, included winds from 270 at 6 knots, visibility 3 miles with light rain and mist. The remarks section of the observation included lightning in the distance east, southwest, and west of the airport.
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: 435 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 368 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,240 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 2003; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,658 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1AG (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GFL Glens Falls NY at 6:10 pm
- Destination: GFL Glens Falls NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.73 inHg
- Observation at 6:25 pm from GFL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.