Cessna 172N accident near Medford, Oregon, July 9, 1991
On July 9, 1991 at about 9:28 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734MD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Medford, Oregon (Medford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN INTENTIONAL PORPOISE. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT'S PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1991 · about 9:28 pm local time
- Place
- Medford, Oregon · Medford · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N734MD · no longer on the register · serial 17268953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE CESSNA 172 CONTACTED THE TOWER APPROXIMATELY EIGHT MINUTES PRIOR TO THE CRASH, AND INDICATED THAT HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH AILERON CONTROL, AND WOULD BE RETURNING TO THE FIELD TO ATTEMPT A LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN IN A GRASSY AREA NEAR THE RUNWAY, AND THEN BOUNCED BACK INTO THE AIR ABOUT FIVE TIMES BEFORE THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND. BOTH THE LOCAL POLICE AND THE FAA INVESTIGATED THE POSSIBILITY THAT THE CRASH OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS INTENTIONAL. AS A RESULT OF THIS ACCIDENT, THE PILOT, WHO WAS UNDER PSYCHOLOGICAL PRESSURE AT THE TIME OF THE FLIGHT, WAS LATER INDICTED BY THE GRAND JURY FOR MALICIOUS DESTRUCTION OF PROPERTY. PRIOR TO THE INDICTMENT, THE FAA ISSUED AN EMERGENCY REVOCATION OF THE PILOT'S LICENSE.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 239 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 183 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,146 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 31, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:32 pm from MFR, 1 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.