Cessna 172A accident near Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania, April 28, 1990
On April 28, 1990 at about 1:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172A, registered N7616T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania (Mt Pleasant/Scottsdale airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING TAKEOFF, A PREMATURE LIFT-OFF, AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE UNFAVORABLE WIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1990 · about 1:40 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Pleasant, Pennsylvania · Mt Pleasant/Scottsdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172A · all 172As on the register
- Registration
- N7616T · no longer on the register · serial 47216
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS MAKING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF FROM A 2000 FT LONG TURF RUNWAY WHICH SLOPES TO THE RIGHT. THE WINDS WERE ABOUT 10 DEGREES LEFT OF THE NOSE, AT 3 TO 5 KNOTS. AT LIFTOFF, THERE WAS WIND CHANGE TO APPROXIMATELY 60 TO 70 DEGREES FROM THE LEFT AT 16 KNOTS AND THE AIRPLANE WAS BLOWN TO THE RIGHT, OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND DOWN AND EMBANKMENT. THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED NOSE FIRST INTO THE GROUND. A PILOT LANDING A FEW MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT SAID THE WINDS WERE VARYING 90 DEGREES IN DIRECTION AND GUSTING.
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: 177 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 114 as pilot in command; 63 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,796 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1989; 115 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,000 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.