- Date
- May 24, 1992, 14:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- Cherokee, NC
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8102XCessna 172B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920524016179A
- Case key
- 8509
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 failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft as a result of spatial disorientation. The lack of total flight time, and rain in the accident area were factors in 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 aircraft was on a cross country flight in mountainous terrain. There is no record of the pilot having received a weather briefing for the flight. There was heavy rain and thundershower activity in the accident area at the time of the accident. Shortly after departure, the non instrument rated pilot contacted approach control and stated that he was lost and asked for radar vectors to the nearest airport. The pilot's flight log book showed that he had less than one hour of instrument flight instruction in preparation for the private pilot examination. Radar data showed the aircraft making several climbs, descents, and erratic turns prior to loss of radar contact. The aircraft impacted the terrain at approximately 5900 feet above sea level.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8102X
- Reported as
- Cessna 172B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17248602
- Airframe hours
- 8,000
- Engine
- Continental O-300C, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Baldwin, Ronnie W.
- Registered owner
- Banks, Jeffrey S.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 15, 1992 · 30 hours before
- Departed
- 3A9 · Sevierville, TN
- Destination
- RMG · Rome, GA
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
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 82 total · 27 in this make and model · 57 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 13,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TYS, 45 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.