Cessna 172P accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, November 10, 1984
On November 10, 1984 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N97594, was destroyed in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania (Allegheny County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 1984 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Allegheny County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N97594 · no longer on the register · serial 17276214
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT LANDED LONG WITH EXCESSIVE SPEED. PLT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND BUT WAS UNABLE TO OBTAIN SUFFICIENT FLYING SPEED BEFORE REACHING THE END OF THE RWY WHICH DROPS OFF INTO A STEEP EMBANKMENT. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED THE END OF THE RWY GROUND EFFECT WAS LOST AND THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND APRX 1500 FT PAST THE END OF THE RWY AND ROLLED IVERTED.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 579 hours in all; 34 in this make and model; 518 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 274 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 10, 1984; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ERI Erie PA
- Destination: AGC Allegheny PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 2,536 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 am from AGC
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.