Cessna 172N N54174

Summary

On 28 April 1983 at about 03:43 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N54174, operated by Ramp One Aviation, was involved in an accident near Morrilton, Arkansas, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

28 April 1983 at 03:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Morrilton, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Petit Jean (MPJ)

Coordinates

35.1492, -92.7407

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N54174

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ramp One Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Washington → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW83LA352

3 people had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ON THE FINAL APPROACH TO LAND AT NIGHT. THE PLT HAD CANCELED HIS IFR CLEARANCE. DURING THE APPROACH THE PLT HAD THE RWY IN SIGHT AND ASKED MEMPHIS CENTER HOW FAR HE WAS FROM THE ARPT. WHEN HE WAS INFORMED HE WAS3 MILES SOUTH HE DECIDED TO MAKE A DESCENDING 360 TURN TO LOSE ALT. AS HE STRAIGHENED THE ACFT AFTER TURNING HE LOOKED IN THE COCKPIT. WHEN HE LOOKED BACK OUT TREES WERE SEEN ILLUMINATED BY THE LANDING LIGHTS. HE TRIED TO CLIMB BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THE DESCENT SO HE MINIMIZED THE SPEED FOR IMPACT IN THE TREES. THE PLT SAID HE WAS FATIGUED, SHOULD NOT HAVE CANCELED IFR AND SHOULD NOT HAVE MADE THE VERTIGO INDUCING TURN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.