- Date
- December 17, 1983, 18:15 local (23:15 UTC)
- Place
- Chesapeake, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4275RCessna C-172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831217061429A
- Case key
- 6242
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The acrt crashed into a lake while making a low pass when the plt was distracted by a passenger door that would not stay latched. The acft collided while turning and the plt stated that he was trying to help the passenger close the door. He also stated that he was distracted by reflections in the water and his next conscious moment was being in the water still strapped to the seat. Neither of the two occupants had their shoulder harness fastened. The passengerwas knocked unconscious and drowned.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4275R
- Reported as
- Cessna C-172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17263052
- Airframe hours
- 3,826
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E20, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Mid Eastern Airways, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 12, 1983 · 53 hours before
- Departed
- W36 · Cheasapeake, VA
- Airport
- W36 · Cheasapeake Municipal
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 160 total · 61 in this make and model · 113 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 30° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 41 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORF, 22 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.