Cessna 172M accident near Wellsville, New York, October 4, 1993
On October 4, 1993 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20286, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellsville, New York (Wellsville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall and inflight collision with the terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 1993 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Wellsville, New York · Wellsville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20286 · registry record · serial 17261159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT MADE RADIO CONTACT WITH THE AIRPORT AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE LANDING RUNWAY WAS 28, AND THE REPORTED WINDS WERE FROM 240 DEGREES, AT 10 KNOTS GUSTING TO 20 KNOTS. THE MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHED DOWN, THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO ROLL OUT, AND THE NOSE GEAR STARTED TO SETTLE ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT SAID, '...THE WIND PICKED US UP, IT MUST HAVE GUSTED FROM 35 TO 40, FROM THE LEFT, PUTTING US AT A RIGHT ANGLE TO THE RUNWAY, ABOUT 20 TO 30 FEET OFF THE GROUND.' THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND, BUT THE AIRPLANE'S SPEED WAS TOO SLOW. THE PILOT COULD NOT STOP THE AIRPLANE BEFORE IT WENT DOWN A STEEP BANK TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, AND NOSED OVER.
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: 353 hours in all; 343 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 271 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1992; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1G5 Medina OH at 2:40 pm
- Destination: ELZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.