Cessna 172P accident near Montgomery, New York, August 11, 1999
On August 11, 1999 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65742, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montgomery, New York (Orange County 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 failure of the student pilot to maintain directional control during the touchdown and landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1999 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Montgomery, New York · Orange County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65742 · registry record · serial 17275847
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was on his first solo flight. He reported he touched down on the right main wheel first and the airplane pivoted rapidly to the right. When he regained directional control, the airplane was pointed toward a runway sign. He then elected to turn further right to avoid the sign. The runway sign struck the left horizontal stabilizer, and in addition, the rear empenage was damaged. This was the first student pilot the flight instructor had soloed. The winds were calm, and the student pilot's total flight experience was 21.4 hours.
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: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,492 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1999; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MGJ at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 5,006 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from MGJ
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.