Cessna 172 accident near Edinburg, New York, July 28, 1990
On July 28, 1990 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6251D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edinburg, New York (Edinburg airport). It was an instructional 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 DID NOT MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED, THE AIRPLANE STALLED AND DESCENDED INTO TREES, AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 1990 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Edinburg, New York · Edinburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6251D · no longer on the register · serial 17272666
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED ON A 2,000 FEET GRASS STRIP TO THE SOUTH, MADE A 180 DEGREE TURN ON THE SAME RUNWAY. HE THEN TOOK OFF TO THE NORTH, UPHILL ON A ROUGH UNEVEN RUNWAY. AT 55 KNOTS THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT GAIN ALTITUDE AND IT WAS TOO LATE FOR THE PILOT TO ABORT THE TAKE OFF. THE AIRPLANE'S ATTITUDE INCREASED NOSE HIGH AND THE AIRPLANE HIT TREES ABOUT 500 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.
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: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 449 hours in all; 124 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 384 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 805 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1990; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Richmor Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Destination: SCH Schenectady NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,000 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.