Cessna 172N accident near Pacific City, Oregon, December 24, 1995
On December 24, 1995 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N738ME, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pacific City, Oregon (Pacific City airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delay in aborting the landing, which resulted in his failure to clear the perimeter fence. Factors relating to the accident were: the tailwind, and the pilot's failure to land at the proper touchdown point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 24, 1995 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pacific City, Oregon · Pacific City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738ME · registry record · serial 17270078
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a Cessna 172N said that he made a normal approach to the 1,875 foot long runway during calm wind. Before landing, the airplane floated. The pilot said that after the airplane touched down and he lowered the nose wheel, the end of the runway was closer than he had expected. He initiated a go-around; however, the airplane's left main landing gear struck a cable, supported by 3 foot high wooden fence posts, which served as a barrier between the end of the runway and a paved road. The airplane then collided with a commercial building and a tree. The left flap was damaged, but the (undamaged) right flap was found in the retracted position. Witnesses around the airport reported the wind direction as southerly immediately following the accident. The Cessna 172N information manual indicated that in the event of a balked landing, 'climb, (and) reduce the flap setting to 20 degrees immediately after full power is applied.'
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: 169 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mulino Air
The flight
- Departed from: 4S9 Mulino OR at 5:30 pm
- Destination: PFC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 1,875 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:52 pm from ONP, 37 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA96LA035.