- Date
- June 1, 1993, 21:00 local (Jun 2, 1993, 02:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tuskegee, AL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N64206Cessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930601016099A
- Case key
- 3218
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 failure to establish a final approach course to the runway surface during a night landing. A factor was the inoperative aircraft landing light.
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
According to the pilot, while on approach to the dimly lighted runway, he discovered that the aircraft landing light would not come on. His research of the problem disclosed that the landing light circuit breaker had popped, but after resetting the breaker, the landing light still failed to operate. The pilot elected to continue the approach to a lighted area on the airport. The airplane touched down in the grass between the runway and taxiway, and collided with a depression in the grassy area.
Factual narrative
On June 1, 1993, at 2100 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N64206, collided with the ground during a night landing at the Tuskegee Municipal Airport, Tuskegee, Alabama. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan filed. Visual weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the two occupants were not injured. The local flight departed Tuskegee, at 1940 hours.
According to the pilot, he experienced some difficulty identifying the runway with the dimmed lights, and lined up on final between the taxiway and runway. Additionally, the pilot experienced a malfunction of the aircraft landing light. The airplane touched down between the runway and taxiway, and during rollout the airplane collided with a depression in the grassy area. No other mechanical problems were reported.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N64206
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17265087
- Airframe hours
- 2,950
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Tuskegee Limited
- Registered owner
- Sale Reported
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 7, 1993 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- 06A
- Destination
- 06A
- Airport
- 06A · Tuskegee Municipal, runway 31, 5,003 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 119 total · 80 in this make and model · 46 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- AUO, 19 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.