Cessna 172P accident near Hillsboro, Oregon, April 29, 1994
On April 29, 1994 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N53161, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsboro, Oregon (Hillsboro 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
POOR IN-FLIGHT PLANNING. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION AND UNCONTROLLED PORPOISE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1994 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsboro, Oregon · Hillsboro · 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
- N53161 · no longer on the register · serial 17274694
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, THE STUDENT PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING THE THIRD TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THE APPROACH WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE AIRPLANE PASSED THE THRESHOLD. THE AIRPLANE REMAINED AIRBORNE AND FLOATED DOWN THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRSPEED DIMINISHED, THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD AND BOUNCED. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO BOUNCE UNTIL IT FINALLY STABILIZED AND THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO TAXI THE AIRPLANE OFF THE RUNWAY.
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: 94 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 7 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,866 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 15, 1994; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Flight Center, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 4,049 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from HIO
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 N53161 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.