Cessna 172P accident near Sterling, Massachusetts, September 20, 1994
On September 20, 1994 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N55164, was destroyed in an accident near Sterling, Massachusetts (Sterling 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 misjudged landing distance, which resulted in an overrun of the runway. A factor is the pilot's failure to do a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1994 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Massachusetts · Sterling
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N55164 · no longer on the register · serial 17275125
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, ON HIS FIRST APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE WAS HIGH AND THE PILOT MADE A GO-AROUND. ON HIS SECOND APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1/2 TO 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE RUNWAY AND JUST PRIOR TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, FLIPPED OVER AND WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT. THE PILOT REPORTED HE THOUGHT HE COULD STOP ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND DID NOT MAKE A GO-AROUND. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE 19 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 56 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 12 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORE Orange MA at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34R, 3,010 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.