- Date
- July 22, 1991, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Sylva, NC
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N52433Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 10, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910722029089A
- Case key
- 8441
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 improper in-flight planning, and his failure to maintain a proper altitude while maneuvering in the canyon. Factor(s) in this accident were: the mountainous, box canyon conditions, the high density altitude, and the downdraft conditions at the time of the accident.
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 two observers were on a mission to search for marijuana plants growing in a mountainous canyon. During slow flight, they encountered a downdraft. The airspeed decayed, and escape routes from the canyon were no longer available. The pilot slowed the aircraft and guided it into the trees. Following the collision with trees, the airplane fell to the ground below. The investigation revealed that the temperature at the time was 92 degrees, and the aircraft was near max gross weight. Density altitude was about 6,000 feet. Inspection of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure, and no mechanical problems were reported by the pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N52433
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274518
- Airframe hours
- 1,467
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Civil Air Patrol, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Civil Air Patrol, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 22, 1991 · 100 hours before
- Departed
- 24A · Sylva, 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 295 total · 50 in this make and model · 189 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AVL, 32 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.