Cessna 172N accident near Sandusky, Ohio, August 16, 1991
On August 16, 1991 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N64834, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sandusky, Ohio (Griffing-Sandusky airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT INITIATED AN EMERGENCY LANDING WHEN THE ENGINE RPM WENT TO ZERO DUE TO A BROKEN TACHOMETER CABLE. HE DID NOT ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND OVERRAN THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1991 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sandusky, Ohio · Griffing-Sandusky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N64834 · registry record · serial 17275632
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD ENTERED DOWNWIND FOR A LANDING ON RUNWAY 27 AND WAS ABOUT THE MID POINT OF THE RUNWAY WHEN THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED TO ZERO. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY DESCENT TO THE RUNWAY AND AFTER GETTING ALIGNED WITH THE RUNWAY THE AIRPLANE WAS STILL HIGH. THE PILOT LOWERED THE NOSE IN AN EFFORT TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY PAVEMENT, HOWEVER, HE TOUCHED DOWN WITH ABOUT 20% OF THE RUNWAY REMAINING. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY INTO A GRASSY MARSH AND NOSED OVER. THE EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED A BROKEN TACHOMETER CABLE.
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: 114 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 2.5 in the last 30 days; 52.2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dunkirk Aviation, INC
The flight
- Departed from: DKK Dunkirk NY at 2:00 pm
- Destination: FWA Fort Wayne IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,553 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 NYC91LA210.