Cessna 172P N65595

Summary

On 2 September 1989 at about 02:05 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N65595, operated by Harry P. Avakian, was involved in an accident near Northfield, New Hampshire, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 1989 at 02:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Northfield, New Hampshire, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N65595

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Harry P. Avakian

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Laconia → Newburyport

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC89FA206

4 people died.

THE PILOT INITIATED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE AND THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

EARLIER IN THE DAY, AT 1317 AND AT 1553, THE PLT RECEIVED WX BRIEFINGS FOR A VFR FLT FROM NEWBURYPORT TO LACONIA, TO RETURN LATER IN THE EVENING. THE 1553 BRIEFING INCLUDED AN ADVISORY THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. ACFT DEPARTED LACONIA AT 2155 FOR RETURN FLT. CONTACTED APCH CONTROL AT 2158. AT 2206 CONTROLLER TRIED TO CONTACT FLT BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. WRECKAGE FOUND NEXT MORNING. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD DEPARTED BEHIND N65595, ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS AND EXTREME TURBULENCE CAUSING IT TO CRASH IN A HAY FIELD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.