# NTSB CHI76AC047: Cessna 172L, N3971Q, Bay City, MI, January 31, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: January 31, 1976
- Place: Bay City, MI · BAY CITY, MI
- Location: 43.5901° N, 83.8884° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Bay City, MI, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.5901&lon=-83.8884&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report March 5, 1976
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 152178
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI76AC047
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI76AC047

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0107  76/1/31  NR.BAY CITY,MI        CESSNA 172L         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 48, 277
        TIME - 0850                    N3971Q              PX-  0  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 245 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          FRASER,MI                   CHEBOYGAN,MI
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - SNOW
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST/LOWER SCATTERED                                 UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1/4 MILE OR LESS                                         SNOW SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS
          BLOWING SNOW                                             IFR
        TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          NONE
        REMARKS- SNOWING IN AREA QUITE A WHILE BFR ACDT.SNOW BLOWN ALMOST HORIZONTALLY BY WINDS EST IN EXCESS 30K.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3971Q](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3971Q-1976-03-09), registration cancelled 1976-03-09, S/N 172-60071, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L
- Registry model: [Cessna 172L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (registry code 2072432) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19760131003639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760131003639A), Jan 31, 1976: Cessna 172L, Bay City, MI, Destroyed. Snowing in area quite a while bfr acdt. Snow blown almost horizontally by winds EST in excess 30K.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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