Cessna 172P accident near Nashua, New Hampshire, March 1, 1991
On March 1, 1991 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N97313, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nashua, New Hampshire (Nashua airport). It was an instructional 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING LANDING, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH A TREE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1991 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Nashua, New Hampshire · Nashua
- 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
- N97313 · registry record · serial 17267177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS COMPLETING A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY. DURING LANDING HE SAID, 'IN THE LANDING FLARE A GUST OF WIND ESTIMATED AT 20 KNOTS STRUCK THE AIRCRAFT...THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED 80 DEGREES LEFT OF CENTERLINE. AFTER MAKING ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT I PULLED BACK THE POWER AND TRIED TO STOP.' THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE.
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: student
- Flight time: 64 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 22 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Departed from: SFZ Pawtucket RI at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N97313 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 NYC91LA081.