Cessna 172G accident near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, October 16, 1995
On October 16, 1995 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N3773L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania (Wyoming Valley 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 instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. Contributing factors were the instructor's inexperience and the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 1995 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania · Wyoming Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3773L · no longer on the register · serial 17253942
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student pilot had made two takeoffs and landings without incident. During the third takeoff, the airplane started to drift to the left and the student pilot stated that there was a problem with the controls. The flight instructor stated that the controls were alright, and that there was a crosswind. When the airplane began to roll to the left, the flight instructor took over the controls. The airplane's left wing tip struck the ground, and the airplane cartwheeled. Examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical problem with the airplane. The student pilot had a total of 27 hours of flight experience. This was his first flight in this make and model. The flight instructor was initially certificated as an instructor 4 days prior to the accident, and this was his first flight as an instructor. Winds at a nearby airport were reported to be from 250 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 24.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 275 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 176 as pilot in command; 1 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,853 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 24, 1995; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WBW at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,376 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 14 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from AVP, 8 miles away
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.