# Accident 19980621014369A: Cessna 172N, Ocean City, MD, June 21, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 21, 1998, 21:55 local time
- Place: Ocean City, MD
- Airport: Ocean City Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.3198° N, 75.2102° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3198&lon=-75.2102&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5944E, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5944E-2015-05-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172N (registry code 2072434, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172n) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N
- Reported engine: LYC O320H2AD
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 137 total, 57 in this make and model, 2 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD98FA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA070) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980621014369A

## Narrative

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

ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNO CIRCUMS, PILOT SUFFERED FATAL INJ, ACFT WAS DESTROYED, OCEAN CITY, MD. (-23) THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED OCEAN CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IN LIMITED VISIBILITY CONDITIONS WHICH WERE CAUSED BY FOG. A WITNESS REPORTED THE VISIBILITY ONE HOUR BEFORE THE ACCIDENT TO BE 1/2 MILE. THE PILOT MADE AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT INTO THE GROUND. (FROM .4) THE PILOT HAD PLANNED TO MAKE THREE TAKEOFFS AND LANDING FOR NIGHT CURRENCY. WHEN THE PILOT TOOK OFF, VISIBILITY WAS POOR DUE TO HEAVY MIST.  A WITNESS SAID VISIBILITY WORSENED WHEN A WALL OF FOG COVERED THE AIRFIELD WHILE THE AIRPLANE WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN.  HE HEARD THE AIRPLANE AT FULL POWER, AND WATCHED IT FLY ABOUT 100 FEET OVER THE HANGERS WHERE THE LANDING GEAR WAS ILLUMINATED BY THE ROTATING BEACON.  THE WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE THROTTLE UP, AND HEARD THE AIRPLANE ALL THE WAY TO IMPACT.  EMERGENCY CREWS FROM FOUR DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES REQUIRED 1 HOUR AND 20 MINUTES TO LOCATE THE WRECKAGE ON THE AIRPORT DUE TO HEAVY FOG.  THE AIRSPEED INDICATOR NEEDLE WAS CRUSHED AGAINST THE FACE AT THE 160 KNOT STRIATION.  THE ENGINE TACHOMETER NEEDLE WAS CRUSHED AGAINST THE FACE AT THE 3200 RPM STRIATION, 500 RPM ABOVE THE PLACARDED REDLINE. A REVIEW OF THE PILOT'S LOGBOOK REVEALED HE HAD 135 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.  HE HAD LOGGED 1.8 HOURS IN THE MONTH BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.  PRIOR TO THAT, HE HAD NOT FLOWN IN 7 MONTHS, AND HIS LAST NIGHT EXPERIENCE WAS 18 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.  HE WAS NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.

## 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 IAD98FA070](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA070), Jun 22, 1998: Cessna 172N (N5944E), Ocean City, MD, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors wer fog, dark night conditions, lack of recent experience, inadequate preflight planning,…

## Other reports on N5944E (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19811003075689I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19811003075689I), Oct 3, 1981: Cessna 172N (N5944E), Farmingdale, NY, Minor damage. Aircrafts wing struck tree while being parked after flight.

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.

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