Cessna 172P N65988

Summary

On 2 March 1992 at about 16:20 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N65988, operated by I.s.o. Aero Services, Inc., was involved in an accident near N Topsail Beach, North Carolina, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 died, 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 March 1992 at 16:20

Classification

Accident

Location

N Topsail Beach, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Topsail Island (54T)

Coordinates

34.4897, -77.5505

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N65988

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

I.s.o. Aero Services, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL92FA053

2 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN AND/OR MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS WERE: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES/DIRECTIVES, HIS OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT, AND HIS LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE AS A PILOT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS TAKING 3 FRIENDS ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED SOON AFTER TAKEOFF, NARROWLY CLEARED A FUEL TANK AND TRAILER, AND ROLLED OFF TO THE LEFT. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING NORMALLY UNTIL GROUND IMPACT. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND IN A NEARLY VERTICAL, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, WITH THE FLAPS UP. THE 90-HOUR PILOT HAD LOGGED ONLY 5 HOURS IN THE C172. POST ACCIDENT WEIGHT AND BALANCE CALCULATIONS ESTIMATED THE TAKEOFF GROSS WEIGHT TO BE ABOUT 2474 POUNDS, THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE TAKEOFF WEIGHT FOR THIS AIRPLANE WAS 2400.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.