Cessna 172M accident near Brookville, Ohio, July 18, 2004
On July 18, 2004 at about 10:58 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9731V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brookville, Ohio (Brookville Air-Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's control interference while the flight instructor was maneuvering to avoid a tree, which resulted in a failure to maintain airspeed and a stall/mush.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2004 · about 10:58 pm local time
- Place
- Brookville, Ohio · Brookville Air-Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9731V · no longer on the register · serial 17264495
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While practicing landings with a CFI, the student pilot touched down fast and bounced on the runway. The CFI instructed the student pilot to go-around, and during the takeoff climb, they approached a tree off the departure end of the runway. The CFI then stated, "I got it," and took the controls from the student pilot. She attempted to turn back toward the runway, and at the same time, the student pilot pulled back on the controls. The airplane pitched up, entering a one-quarter spin, before it contacted the ground in a left wing low attitude. The CFI had accumulated 442 hours of total flight experience, 40 of which were as a flight instructor. The student pilot had accumulated approximately 14 hours of total flight experience over a period of 17 years. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no pre-impact mechanical deficiencies.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 442 hours in all; 336 as pilot in command; 40 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,011 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2004; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: I73 Moraine OH at 9:45 pm
- Destination: I62 Brookville OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 2,500 ft by 30 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from DAY, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N9731V 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.