Cessna 172N accident near Center Harbor, New Hampshire, October 9, 1994
On October 9, 1994 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733MV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Center Harbor, New Hampshire. 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 INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR A CROSSWIND CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 1994 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Center Harbor, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733MV · registry record · serial 17268405
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM THE SEAPLANE BASE IN THE RENTED FLOAT PLANE, HE MADE ONE EN ROUTE STOP AT ANOTHER LAKE, THEN LANDED AT HIS DESTINATION LAKE. AT THE DESTINATION LAKE HE GAVE LOCAL SCENIC RIDES TO FRIENDS. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE LAST FLIGHT, HE ESTABLISHED A SOUTHERLY FINAL APPROACH TO THE COVE. WHILE LANDING WITH A KNOWN GUSTING RIGHT CROSSWIND, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE WATER CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO GROUND LOOP, AND THE SUBSEQUENT LEFT WING DAMAGE. WINDS REPORTED FROM AN AIRPORT 8 MILES SOUTH WERE FROM 210 DEGREES AT 12 KNOTS, WITH GUSTS TO 17. THE PILOT'S TOTAL FLIGHT TIME WAS REPORTED TO BE ABOUT 131 HOURS, WITH APPROXIMATELY 40 HOURS IN FLOAT PLANE OPERATION.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 131 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 94 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,977 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from LCI, 8 miles away
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.