Cessna 172L accident near Westerly, Rhode Island, July 15, 1986
On July 15, 1986 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N4301Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westerly, Rhode Island (Westeerly State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- July 15, 1986 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Westerly, Rhode Island · Westeerly State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N4301Q · registry record · serial 17260201
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD HE LANDED IN WINDS WHICH WERE GUSTING TO 20 KTS. AS THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN, IT BALLOONED & THE PLT APPLIED SOME POWER TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. AS HE CONTD THE LANDING, THE ACFT BEGAN TO DRIFT TO THE LEFT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE ACFT AIRBORNE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CONTD OFF THE RWY, WENT OVER ROUGH TERRAIN & HIT A CHAIN LINK FENCE.
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: 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,429 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 23, 1986; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Block Island RI at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 NYC86LA181.