Cessna 172H accident near New Cumberland, West Virginia, August 25, 1992
On August 25, 1992 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N1109F, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Cumberland, West Virginia (Herron Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER TAKEOFF PROCEDURES AND HIS LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF AIRPLANE PERFORMANCE WHICH RESULTED IN AN ABORTED TAKEOFF WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY TO STOP AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH A FENCE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE; THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1992 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- New Cumberland, West Virginia · Herron Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N1109F · no longer on the register · serial 17254704
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PREPARED FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 22. HE SAID, 'I APPLIED FULL POWER AS I TURNED THE AIRPLANE ONTO THE RUNWAY. ABOUT HALFWAY DOWN THE RUNWAY I APPLIED ONE NOTCH OF FLAPS. AS WE APPROACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, WE LEFT THE GROUND....THE AIRPLANE DID NOT SEEM TO BE PRODUCING FULL POWER...I CUT...POWER AND DUMPED FLAPS...DESPITE FULL BRAKING IT DID NOT STOP [ON] THE RUNWAY...LANDING GEAR SNAGGED A...FENCE.' THE RUNWAY IS 2050 FEET IN LENGTH, WITH TREES AT THE END. THE PILOT'S HANDBOOK RECOMMENDS NOT USING WINGS FLAPS FOR A SHORT RUNWAY WITH OBSTRUCTIONS AT THE END. THE PILOT'S HANDBOOK ALSO RECOMMENDS HOLDING BRAKES AND THEN APPLYING FULL POWER BEFORE TAKEOFF ON SHORT RUNWAYS. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 80 HOURS AND 33 HOURS IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 83 DEGREES F, AND THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 3800 FEET.
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: 80 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7G1 New Cumberland WV at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 7G1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,050 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.