Cessna 172P accident near Charleston, West Virginia, January 15, 1991
On January 15, 1991 at about 3:49 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62960, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charleston, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER IN CRUISE FLIGHT DUE TO FAILURE OF THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR DOWEL PIN RESULTING IN A FORCED LANDING OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND SUBSEQUENT NOSE OVER ON LANDING ROLL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE IMPROPER PROCEDURE USED DURING ENGINE OVERHAUL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 15, 1991 · about 3:49 pm local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62960 · registry record · serial 75368
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A LOCAL FAMILIARIZATION FLIGHT WHEN HE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. HE MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD SOFTENED BY RECENT RAIN. UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE WHEEL DUG IN AND THE AIRPLANE FLIPPED OVER. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE DOWEL PIN FOR THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR HAD SHEARED. ACCORDING TO THE ENGINE OVERHAUL RECORDS THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT LYCOMING SB 475, OR SI 1179D, ITS PREDECESSOR HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH. EXAMINATION OF THE FORMS USED IN THE ENGINE OVERHAUL SHOP FAILED TO FIND A LISTING OF SB 475 OR SI 1179D AS AN ITEM TO BE CHECKED.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 809 hours in all; 152 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 575 as pilot in command; 343 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,206 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 20, 1990; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Executive Air Terminal
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N62960 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.