Cessna 172N accident near Rochester, New Hampshire, October 27, 1985
On October 27, 1985 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734PX, was destroyed in an accident near Rochester, New Hampshire. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- October 27, 1985 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Rochester, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734PX · no longer on the register · serial 17269017
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING APPROACH TO RUNWAY 32, THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO PORPOISE OVER THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED IN THIS MANNER UNTIL IT NEARED THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT THEN STARTED A SLOW CLIMBING RIGHT TURN JUST CLEARING NEARBY TREES. THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT BANK ATTITUDE STEEPENED TO BETWEEN 45 AND 60 DEGREES BEFORE IT DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. WINDS WERE REPORTED AS VARIABLE FROM 260 TO 310 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS GUSTING TO 15 KNOTS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION. THE FLAPS WERE UP. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF PILOT IMPAIRMENT OR INCAPACITATION.
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: 217 hours in all; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,800 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 1985; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: U Of N.H. Flying Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,100 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:41 pm from CON, 12 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.