- Date
- January 7, 1991, 17:21 local (22:21 UTC)
- Place
- Missing (Atlantic Ocean)
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N2165YCessna 172D
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report November 17, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910107000699A
- Case key
- 8338
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's continuation of visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of aircraft control. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing before departure, the adverse weather and light conditions, and the pilot's lack of instrument flying experience.
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
There is no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing before departing southport, NC. About 35 minutes after departing southport, the pilot contacted wilmington approach control stating he was unsure of his position, was in instrument meteoroligical conditions, was not qualified as an instrument pilot, and requested weather information. Wilmington approach attempted to vector the airplane to wilmington airport. At 1721 radar and radio communication were lost. There was a frontal system in the area at the time which contained significant convective activity and extensive rain. Aircraft damage and injuries are presumed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2165Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 172D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17249665
- Engine
- Continental O-300, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Vernon, Jesse H.
- Registered owner
- Vernon, Jesse H.
- Departed
- SUT · Southport, NC
- Destination
- N59 · Carolina Beach, NC
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
- 56
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 319 total · 238 in this make and model · 210 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 20° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 600 ft broken
- Observed at
- ILM, 40 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 N2165Y · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.