Cessna 172L accident near Saratoga Spgs, New York, February 24, 1995
On February 24, 1995 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N7002Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saratoga Spgs, New York (Saratoga County airport). It was an instructional 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 POOR JUDGMENT IN ATTEMPTING A FLIGHT UNDER THE EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 24, 1995 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Saratoga Spgs, New York · Saratoga County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N7002Q · no longer on the register · serial 17260302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE TAXIING FOR TAKEOFF, HE STOPPED TO DETERMINE WHICH RUNWAY TO USE; RWY 23 0R 32. WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS STOPPED ON THE TAXIWAY ON A HEADING OF APPROX 360 DEG, THE RIGHT WING AND TAIL WERE LIFTED OFF THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. THE WEATHER OBSERVATION FACILITY AT THE AIRPORT REPORTED THE WINDS FROM 280 DEG AT 26 KTS, GUSTING TO 36 KTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,600 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 15,420 as pilot in command; 10,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,528 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 1995; 32 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: ALB Albany NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 26 knots, gusting 37
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from 5B2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.