Cessna R172K accident near Glen Campbell, Pennsylvania, May 10, 1985
On May 10, 1985 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N736FG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glen Campbell, Pennsylvania. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 1985 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Glen Campbell, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N736FG · registry record · serial R172488
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT, THE PLT FLEW OVER SVRL COAL STRIP MINES AT LOW ALT & AT LOW AIRSPEED. HE HAD THE ACFT TRIMMED FOR 60 KTS & HAD ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS EXTENDED. HE REPORTED THAT AS HE WAS FLYING IN STRAIGHT & LEVEL FLT, THE ACFT SEEMED TO BE DRAWN DOWN INTO A VALLEY. AS HE ADDED POWER, HE HEARD A NOISE AS THE LEFT MAIN GEAR CAME IN CONTACT WITH A DIRT PILE. THE PLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT. DURING THE LANDING, THE ACFT VEERED INTO A SMALL PATCH OF TREES & CAME TO REST. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 240 DEG AT 25 GUSTING 30 KTS.
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: 562 hours in all; 506 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 551 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,228 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Clearfield PA at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 25 knots, gusting 25
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC85LA111.