Cessna 172M accident near Fayetteville, West Virginia, June 20, 1999
On June 20, 1999 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20952, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fayetteville, West Virginia (Fayette airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. 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 aborted landing. A factor in this accident was the crosswind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1999 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fayetteville, West Virginia · Fayette · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20952 · no longer on the register · serial 17263880
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was landing on runway 21, a 2,010 foot-long, 20-foot wide, asphalt runway. The pilot stated he aborted the landing when he encountered a gust of wind, and realized that insufficient runway remained for landing. The airplane veered to the right of the runway and impacted near the tops of 50 to 60 foot tall trees, located about 230 feet to the right of the runway. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions of the airframe or engine; nor did the pilot report any. The wind reported at a nearby airport, was from 100 degrees at 6 knots.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,310 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 4,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,272 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 15, 1999; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: I89 at 7:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 2,010 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from BKW, 16 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.