- Date
- October 22, 1985, 14:08 local (18:08 UTC)
- Place
- Clayton, GA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3177ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851022052849A
- Case key
- 6902
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 pilot and his passenger showed up for the second day in a row and checked the weather for the return trip to Florida. They found the weather VFR at the airport. An employee of the FBO took the pilot outside and pointed out that the mountains to the south were still partially covered by clouds. The pilot told him to not mention this fact to the pilots wife. The pilot reported after take off that he was at 3000 feet and the weather was clear. The aircraft was later seen at low level over a town to the south. Next it was heard above or in the clouds near glassy mountain. The engine was heard to increase in RPM a few seconds prior to the sound of impact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3177E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1721462
- Airframe hours
- 1,333
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Bertrand L. Fontaine
- Registered owner
- Rolling Meadows Aviation, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 1985 · 58 hours before
- Departed
- IAS · Franklin, NC
- Destination
- PIE · St.Petersburg, FL
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
- 61
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 152 total · 27 in this make and model · 27 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AVL, 59 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.