Cessna 172N accident near Grants Pass, Oregon, April 26, 1992
On April 26, 1992 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N9403E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grants Pass, Oregon (Josephine County 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
A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AND A DELAYED GO-AROUND. FACTORS INCLUDE A CROSSWIND, GUSTS, AND A FENCE IN THE GO-AROUND PATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1992 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Grants Pass, Oregon · Josephine County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9403E · no longer on the register · serial 17272251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 172 WAS HIT BY A GUST OF WIND JUST AFTER TOUCHDOWN. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AND BY THE TIME HE ELECTED TO EXECUTE A GO-AROUND HE WAS UNABLE TO KEEP THE AIRCRAFT FROM DEPARTING THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY IT BECAME AIRBORNE, BUT IT CONTACTED A FENCE ABOUT 800 FEET FROM THE POINT OF RUNWAY DEPARTURE.
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: 527 hours in all; 187 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,684 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 7, 1992; 43 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: O21 Hoopa CA at 8:45 pm
- Destination: 3S8 Grants Pass OR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N9403E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.