Cessna 172P accident near Shenandoah, Virginia, March 31, 2003
On March 31, 2003 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered CGIKO, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shenandoah, Virginia (Shenandoah Valley Regional 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent encounter with snow showers. Factors were the snow and the unsuitable landing area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 31, 2003 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Shenandoah, Virginia · Shenandoah Valley Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- CGIKO · no longer on the register · serial 17274201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated pilot encountered snow showers in cruise flight at 4,500 feet msl. He attempted to divert to an airport, but could not locate it. The forward visibility continued to decrease, and the pilot performed a precautionary landing to a field. During the landing, the landing gear struck mud, and the airplane came to rest inverted. Prior to the flight, the pilot obtained a standard weather briefing from an FAA automated flight service station. The briefing did not include any forecasted snow showers for the area in which the pilot was flying.
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: 103 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,577 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 2003; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SYR Syracuse NY at 3:08 pm
- Destination: GSO Greesnboro NC
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 6:40 pm from SHD, 23 miles away
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.