# Accident 19980623033509A: Cessna 172L, Macclenny, FL, June 23, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 23, 1998
- Place: Macclenny, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Scud Running
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 30.2802° N, 82.1202° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2802&lon=-82.1202&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3853Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3853Q-2012-06-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172L (registry code 2072432, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 91 total, 34 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99FA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99FA050) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980623033509A

## Narrative

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

ACFT HAS BEEN MISSING SINCE IT DEPARTED ON 6/23/98 AND THE WRECKAGE WAS FINALLY LOCATED ON 12/19/98. (.19) ON JUNE 23, 1998, A CESSNA 172L, N3853Q, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, OPERATING AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, CRASHED IN THE VICINITY OF MACCLENNY, FLORIDA, AT AN UNDETERMINED TIME.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.  THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED.  THE STUDENT PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED.  THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY DEPARTED FROM MANASSAS REGIONAL/HARRY P. DAVIS FIELD, MANASSAS, VIRGINIA, ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.  THE FLIGHT STOPPED FOR FUEL AT STATESBORO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, STATESBORO, GEORGIA, AND DEPARTED AT ABOUT 1815 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.  THE AIRPLANE WAS REPORTED MISSING TO THE FAA AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEDMENT PERSONNEL JULY 3, 1998.  PRELIMINARY INFORMATION REVEALED AN ALNOT WAS ISSUED BY THE LEESBURG AFSS ON JULY 3, 1998, AND WAS NOT RECEIVED BY THE NTSB.  A SEARCH WAS INITIATED BY USAF RESCUE COORDINATION CENTER, LANGELY AFB VIRGINIA, ON JULY 8, 1998.  THE SEARCH WAS TERMINATED ON JULY 10, 1998.  THE AIRPLANE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON DECEMBER 10, 1998.                                                          (.4)THE STUDENT PILOT CONDUCTED A VFR CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. NEITHER A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED NOR WAS A WEATHER BRIEFING OBTAINED. VISIBILITY OF 2 MILES IN SMOKE AND HAZE WAS REPORTED AT 1855 AND 1955 HOURS AT REPORTING STATION 13 MILES TO THE AST OF THE CRASH SITE.  THE STUDENT PILOT ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TRESS AND TERRAIN FATALLY INJURING THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD RECORDED A TOTAL OF 2 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME.                     (-23) NARRATIVE # MIA99FA050

## 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 MIA99FA050](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99FA050), Jun 23, 1998: Cessna 172L (N3853Q), Macclenny, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The student pilot's attempted VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in a subsequent in-flight collision with trees and terrain. Contributing factors were, haze/smoke, the…

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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