Cessna 172N accident near Churchville, Maryland, May 22, 1999
On May 22, 1999 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5679E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Churchville, Maryland (Harford County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Factors were the pilot's lack of recent experience, and the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1999 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Churchville, Maryland · Harford County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5679E · no longer on the register · serial 17271917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that on the takeoff roll, just as he rotated for liftoff, the airplane was struck by a gust of wind and blown off the runway to the left. He heard the stall warning horn sound and aborted the takeoff. The airplane remained to the left of the runway and the left wing struck some trees, after which the airplane turned into the trees. The pilot had logged 7.8 hours in the preceding 11 1/2 months. He had logged 5.8 hours in the preceding 90 days. An Inspector from the FAA reported he interviewed witnesses who reported the crosswind was about 7 knots maximum.
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
- Flight time: 166 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,172 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1999; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0W3 at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 10, 2,140 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from APG, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.