- Date
- September 21, 1985, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Halls, TN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2858ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850921046629A
- Case key
- 6641
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 private pilot had just leveled off at 2500 feet and pointed out the old naval base to his right front seat passenger when he slumped over the yoke. The passenger in the rear seat held the pilot off the controls while her non-pilot husband attempted to land the aircraft. He missed the taxiway on the old naval base and attempted to land in a cotton field. He spotted a house at the end of the field and turned just prior to touchdown. The aircraft hit a ditch at the end of the field and bounced up on the taxiway. The pilot did not respond to emergency medical services and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2858E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271349
- Airframe hours
- 1,204
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Metro Flying School & Club,Inc
- Registered owner
- Mooney Leasing
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · September 4, 1985 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- OLV · Olive Branch, MS
- Airport
- M31 · Arnold Field
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 350 total · 4 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEM, 65 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.