Cessna 172M accident near Cumberland, Maryland, February 7, 2004
On February 7, 2004 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N61648, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cumberland, Maryland (Greater Cumberland Regional 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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind while landing. A factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 7, 2004 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cumberland, Maryland · Greater Cumberland Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N61648 · registry record · serial 17264699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to landing at the airport, the pilot had obtained the local weather information. As the airplane touched down on runway 23, a gust of wind forced the airplane to the left. The pilot added power and applied right rudder; however, the airplane continued to veer left, struck a snow bank, and came to rest inverted. The reported wind at the airport about the time of the accident was from 330 degrees, varying from 290 degrees to 360 degrees, at 6 knots, gusting to 14 knots.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 304 hours in all; 288 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 277 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HGR Hagerstown MD at 2:45 pm
- Destination: CBE Cumberland MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from CBE
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.
Other NTSB records under N61648 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.