Cessna 172 accident near Toledo, Ohio, October 10, 1991
On October 10, 1991 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N739LT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Toledo, Ohio (Teledo/Metcalf airport). 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
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PREFORM AN AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT, AND REMOVE THE GUST LOCK FROM THE AILERON, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL DURING INITIAL CLIMB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 1991 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Toledo, Ohio · Teledo/Metcalf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N739LT · registry record · serial 17270634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE FORGOT TO TAKE THE GUST LOCK OFF THE RIGHT AILERON. THE AIRPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, STARTED TO TURN LEFT, AND STRUCK A FENCE NEAR 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,548 hours in all; 1,123 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,548 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,513 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 24, 1991; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,223 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.