# Accident 19980331004829A: Cessna 172M, Bristol-Johnson, TN, March 31, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 31, 1998, 21:00 local time
- Place: Bristol-Johnson, TN
- Airport: Tri-City Regional Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.5204° N, 82.5499° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.5204&lon=-82.5499&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9233H, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9233H-2013-07-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 738 total, 395 in this make and model, 71 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA113) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980331004829A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

IN MARCH 30, 1998, ABOUT 2100 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 172M, N9233H, REGISTERED TO MOERAIR INC, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, COLLIDED WITH RUNWAY APPROACH LIGHTS FOR RUNWAY 23 AT TRI-CITIES REGIONAL AIRPORT, BRISTOL, TENNESSE. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, AND THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGNATED FROM GREENVILLE-GREEN COUNTY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, TENNESSEE, ABOUT 20 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE FLIGHT WAS A DUAL, NIGHT VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT IN PREPARATION FOR THE STUDENTS SOLO CROSS COUNTRY. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, WHEN THEY ROLLED WINGS LEVEL ON FINAL APPROACH, THE STUDENT DID NOT HAVE THE RUNWAY IN SIGHT AND WAS BEING DIRECTED BY THE CFI. IN THE PROCESS OF ACQUIRING A VISUAL ON THE RUNWAY, THE FLIGHT HAD GOTTON LOW AND SLOW, AND THE STUDENT WAS MAKING A CORRECTION WHEN THE WHEELS COLLIDED WITH AN APPROACH LIGHT POLE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED, ABOUT 300 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD. (-23) FLIGHT WAS DUAL VFR, NIGHT CROSS-COUNTRY FROM GREEN COUNT MUNICIPAL A                                       IRPORT TO TRI-CITIES REGIONAL AIRPORT, BOTH AIRPORTS IN TENNESSEE. UPON ROLLING STRAIGHT AND LEVEL ON FINAL APPROACH COURSE FOR LANDING AT TRI-CITIES, STUDENT PILOT WAS ON THE CONTROLS.  THE INSTRUCTOR REQUESTED THE STUDENT TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION FOR BEING TOO LOW AND TOO SLOW.  PRIOR TO STUDENT INITIATING CORRECTIVE ACTION, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE APPROACH LIGHTS FOR THE RUNWAY.  THE APPPROACH LIGHTS WERE ON, THE VASI WAS WORKING AND THE ILS WAS NOT TUNED IN.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA98LA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA113), Mar 31, 1998: Cessna 172M (N9233H), Kingsport, TN, destroyed. Probable cause: The dual student's failure to maintain adequate airspeed which resulted in a stall mush. Contributing to the accident were the flight instructor's inadequate supervision and the night conditions.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.