Cessna 172 accident near Columbus, Ohio, April 23, 1993
On April 23, 1993 at about 7:57 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N734QF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Bolton Field). 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 IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT ALLOWING THE AIRPLANE TO BALLOON AND LAND HARD. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT FLYING EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1993 · about 7:57 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Bolton Field · 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
- N734QF · registry record · serial 17269025
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FINAL APPROACH THE PILOT FLARED EARLY AND THE AIRPLANE BALLOONED. THE AIRPLANE THEN LANDED HARD ON ALL LANDING GEAR SIMULTANEOUSLY, DRIVING THE NOSE GEAR UP AND TEARING THE ENGINE FIRE WALL. THE PILOT HAD FLOWN ONE FLIGHT, DURING THE 7 MONTHS PRECEDING THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, FOR A TOTAL OF SIX TENTHS OF AN HOUR DURATION.
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: 97 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,613 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1993; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cmh Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 214 at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 214
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,199 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from 2I4, 1 miles away
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.