Premium research interface

The modern interface for aviation safety intelligence.

Search investigations, review source evidence, monitor watched reports, and trace long-term patterns from one calm, data-first workspace.

63k+
Reports indexed
1940-2026
Coverage
Recent
Last data refresh
Featured Report

Loading…

Loading featured report…

Loading…
Open Report

Safety trends by operating rule

Track fatal and non-fatal accident patterns across Part 91, Part 135, and Part 121 operations.

Loading trend charts…

Browse the aviation graph

Move quickly by aircraft, airport, operator, and time with indexes built for research, not wandering.

Last Data Update

By Decade

By Month

Aircraft Manufacturer

More manufacturers

Airports

More airports

Operators

More operators

About

Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

The goal is practical safety education: make it faster to find relevant investigations, compare similar events, review factual records, and understand the evidence behind probable-cause and preliminary reports.

The investigative work and source records belong to the National Transportation Safety Board and the published investigation record. This site is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NTSB.

FAQs

NTSB Report

September 17, 1999 · Cessna 172K · N84697

Mountain Home, AR

Overview

Report Status
Final with probable cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
September 17, 1999
Injury Outcomes
No injuries (2 uninjured)
Location
Mountain Home, AR
Aircraft
Cessna 172K
Tail Number
N84697
Operator
Proaviation
Injuries
None
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
NTSB Number
FTW99LA260

Dark night conditions prevailed for the cross-country flight. During the landing at the destination airport (non-towered), the private pilot confused the lighted runway and lighted parallel taxiway and landed the airplane on the grass between the taxiway and the runway. Although he initiated a go-around, the right main landing gear struck the edge of the taxiway crossover during the aborted landing. The nose gear collapsed, the airplane became airborne and traveled approximately 500 feet before impacting the ground in a nose down attitude and overturning. The pilot's total flight time was 99.5 hours. He had 5.3 hours total night flight time of which 2.1 hours were PIC flight time. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by 'more training on night time operations.'

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's failure to obtain runway alignment. Factors were the dark night conditions, an embankment, and the pilot's lack of total experience flying at night.

Full Narrative

On September 16, 1999, at 2030 central daylight time, a Cessna 172K, N84697, sustained substantial damage when the airplane struck an embankment and nosed over during an aborted landing at the Baxter County Regional Airport near Mountain Home, Arkansas. The airplane was owned by private individuals and operated by PRO AVIATION under 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal cross-country flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight originated from Boone County Airport near Harrison, Arkansas, at 2010. The pilot reported that during the dark night landing, he confused the runway and taxiway lighting and landed the airplane on the grass between the taxiway and the runway. He applied power to go-around; however, the right main landing gear struck the edge of the parallel taxiway crossover, which resulted in "failure of the nose gear assembly." The airplane became "airborne and traveled approximately 500 feet before impacting the ground in a nose down attitude and overturning." According to the pilot, the firewall was destroyed, both wing spars were bent, the fuselage was buckled, and the vertical stabilizer and rudder were damaged. The nose gear was destroyed, the right wing strut was bent, and the left wing tip was crushed. The Baxter County Regional Airport runway 05/23 is 5,000 feet long and 75 feet wide with medium intensity runway lights. Runway 05 is equipped with a visual glideslope indicator, a PAPI(P2L) precision approach path indicator with two identical light units, placed on the left side of the runway. The non-towered airport is attended from 0800 to 1930. After these hours, the PAPI and runway lights are activated by the pilot clicking his radio microphone on frequency 123.0 MHZ. On the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2) the pilot reported his total flight time as 99.5 hours. He reported 63.6 hours of pilot-in-command flight time of which 23.3 hours were in the make and model of the accident aircraft. The pilot reported 5.3 hours total night flight time, of which 2.1 hours were pilot-in-command flight time. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented by "more training on night time operations."

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time20:30 CDT
Nearest AirportBaxter Country Regional (0nm)
Runway5
Runway Length5000 ft
Runway Width75 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172K
Tail NumberN84697
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageSubstantial
OperatorProaviation
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-E2D · Reciprocating · 150
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury SummaryNo injuries (2 uninjured)
Fatal0
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured2
Total2
Crew 1Age 35 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDark Night
Wind50° @ 3 kt
Visibility10 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point66 F / 37 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time00:53
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data