Cessna 172N accident near Sanford, Maine, December 12, 1995
On December 12, 1995 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734QZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanford, Maine (Sanford Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to adequately compensate for a crosswind during the landing roll, which resulted in a collision with a snowbank. Factors relating to the accident were: ice on the runway and the gusty crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1995 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Maine · Sanford Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734QZ · registry record · serial 17269043
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the pilot flew a local flight, he returned to the departure airport and landed on runway 32. During the landing roll, the airplane veered left and collided with a snowbank at the edge of the runway. Examination revealed that the 5,000 foot runway was covered with ice along its entire length, and was lightly sanded. No skid marks were present on the surface of the runway, and winds at the airport were reported to be from 260 degrees at 14 knots, gusting to 19.
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: 177 hours in all; 91 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 177 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,703 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 19, 1995; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sanford Air INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SFM at 3:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from SFM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC96LA039.