Cessna 172N accident near Shirley, New York, September 16, 1996
On September 16, 1996 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N737GJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shirley, New York (Brookhaven airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's prematurely retraction of flaps during the go-around, which resulted in settling (mushing) of the airplane and a collision with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 16, 1996 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Shirley, New York · Brookhaven · map
- 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
- N737GJ · registry record · serial 17269404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot had been performing touch and go landings. During the fifth touch and go landing, a gust of wind raised the left wing, and the airplane drifted right. The student initiated a go-around, then he retracted the flaps from 20 to 0 degrees continuously. The airplane then settled and collided with the ground. The student did not report any mechanical malfunction and stated that he should not have retracted the flaps continuously. The Cessna Pilot's Operating Handbook stated that for a go-around, retract the flaps to 20 degrees immediately, then to 10 degrees after clearing all obstacles, finally to 0 degrees after reaching a safe altitude and 60 knots indicated airspeed.
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: student
- Flight time: 73 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 21 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,029 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 2, 1996; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 1:00 pm
- Destination: HWV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,325 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm from FOK, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.