- Date
- May 20, 1984, 11:40 local (16:40 UTC)
- Place
- Leeds, AL
- Injuries
- 3 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N734ZPCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840520017729A
- Case key
- 6460
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 plt made a flt of about 30 min to practice landings, then landed to pick up 2 passengers. About 10 min after taking off on the 2nd flt, he began having symptoms of a medical problem. He said he felt hot & the air felt stagnant & stale. The vents & a window were opened & he began returning to the arpt. He attempted to tune the radio, but could not find the freq. Several times, he blacked out & regained consciousness. A short time before the accident, a witness saw the acft flying very low. He stated that the plt was 'working the throttle & dipping the plane' but reported the eng ran smooth at hi & low power. Subsequently, the acft collided with trees & crashed. All 3 occupants were transported to a hospital. The plt's medical problem was diagnosed as vasovagal syncope. Reportedly, similar episodes began when the plt was 14 to 15 yrs old & the episodes had been associated with extreme nervousness, sweating & palpitations. The plt's medical certificate was dated 3/3/82.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N734ZP
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269247
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Dunston, Wayne N.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BHM · Birmingham, AL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BHM, 10 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.
Other investigations on N734ZP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.