Aviation Crash Map

Cessna 172 N3281L

31 December 1991 · Greencastle, Indiana, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 31 December 1991 at about 21:15 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N3281L, operated by George W. Sanders, was involved in an accident near Greencastle, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 21:15
Classification
Accident
Location
Greencastle, Indiana, United States
Nearest airport
Putnam (417)
Coordinates
Not recorded
Aircraft
Cessna 172
Registration
N3281L
Category
Airplane
Engines
1
Operator
George W. Sanders
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Instructional
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
CHI92LA065

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

THE WORN CENTERING LOCKING LUG ON THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT SAID THAT WHILE PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS, THE AIRPLANE SWERVED ABRUPTLY TO THE LEFT AT THE INSTANT IT TOUCHED DOWN. IT THEN SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED A WORN CENTERING LOCKING LUG WHICH ALLOWED THE NOSE WHEEL TO BE COCKED ON TOUCHDOWN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other Cessna 172 accidents

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
7 Apr 1991 Cessna 172P
N9671A
College Park, Maryland, United States Civil Air Patrol, Inc. No injuries -
25 Apr 1991 Cessna 172
N66717
Detroit, Michigan, United States
no coordinates
Eximous Flying Club, Inc. No injuries -
24 Jul 1991 Cessna 172N
N5352D
Napa, California, United States Bridgeford Flying SVC. No injuries -
9 Apr 1991 Cessna 172H
N3781F
Morehead, Kentucky, United States Roger Wend Minor injuries -
5 Apr 1991 Cessna 172A
N9852T
Hood River, Oregon, United States Paul J. Welp No injuries -
31 Mar 1991 Cessna 172M
N6852H
Ogden, Utah, United States Alta Aircraft No injuries -

All 12,209 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
12 May 1991 Cessna 177
N3345T
Decatur, Indiana, United States Clark Smith/ Ralph Biggs No injuries -
9 Oct 1991 Beechcraft 95
N1309Z
Elkhart, Indiana, United States
no coordinates
William E. Woodill No injuries -
15 Oct 1991 Mooney M20K
N3947H
Knox, Indiana, United States Northern Harvest Furniture, Inc No injuries -
18 Oct 1991 Aerostar RX-8
N357OK
Warsaw, Indiana, United States Henry J. & Marcille Cripe Serious injuries -
28 May 1991 Gulfstream American AA1A
N5675L
Evansville, Indiana, United States Fireside Gallery, Inc. Serious injuries -
23 Oct 1991 McDonnell Douglas MD369D
N88SE
Beech Grove, Indiana, United States Miami Valley Services No injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States