- Date
- March 25, 1993, 20:00 local (Mar 26, 1993, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lewisburg, OH
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N73436Cessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report October 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930325007429A
- Case key
- 11924
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 experienced spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the dark night and inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions.
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
Shortly after takeoff from an elevation of 1,060 feet MSL in VFR weather, the airplane encountered ground fog. The pilot stated that he tried to maneuver around the fog, but the airplane entered another layer of ground fog. Shortly after this, he glanced at his instruments and noticed the airplane was descending. He said he started to attain a climb attitude when he saw the terrain directly below. He said he tried to pull up but the airplane impacted the ground. The local weather was reporting 6 to 8 miles visibility and ground fog. The accident occurred at an elevation of 1,280 feet MSL during the hours of darkness. The private pilot was non instrument rated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N73436
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17267460
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Central Ohio Flying Assoc.
- Registered owner
- Central Ohio Flying Assoc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 2, 1992
- Departed
- I74 · Urbana, OH
- Destination
- OSU · Columbus, OH
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 228 total · 140 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 10° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAY, 50 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.