Cessna 172M accident near Valley Point, West Virginia, February 4, 1993
On February 4, 1993 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N9839V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valley Point, West Virginia (Valley Point 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAKE A REJECTED LANDING WHEN THE AIRPLANE FAILED TO DECELERATE PROPERLY. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO CLOSE THE THROTTLE UPON TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1993 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Valley Point, West Virginia · Valley Point · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N9839V · no longer on the register · serial 17264525
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS LANDING ON A 2800 FT LONG RUNWAY. THE TERRAIN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY SLOPED DOWN. THE PILOT SAID HE TOUCHED DOWN AT HIS NORMAL POINT; HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DECELERATE NORMALLY AND RAN OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN AND THEN SETTLED INTO TREES. THE PILOT SAID THIS WAS HIS FIRST LANDING WEARING A HEADSET AND HE HAD FAILED TO CLOSE THE THROTTLE COMPLETELY UPON TOUCHDOWN. IN ADDITION, HE SAID, '...I DID NOT HEAR THE MOTOR OR OTHER SOUNDS OF SPEED. I DID NOT ADJUST TO JUDGING SPEED BY SIGHT....'
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: 886 hours in all; 359 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 847 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,021 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1992; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CKB Clarksburg WV at 9:00 pm
- Destination: WV29
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,800 ft by 42 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°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.
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.