- Date
- October 31, 1989, 17:32 local (Nov 1, 1989, 00:32 UTC)
- Place
- Laramie, WY
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4825VCessna 172RG
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891031044149A
- Case key
- 17807
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 loss of control of the airplane in instrument meteorological conditions after the pilot became spatially disoriented. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the vacuum system which rendered the vacuum/gyro instruments inoperative. Also contributing to this failure was the improper installation of the vacuum pump by unknown person(s).
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 plt received a weather briefing for a VFR flt. The briefing indicated IFR weather along the intended route of flight. The plt stated he was conducting the flt VFR because he 'did not trust his instruments.' Approximately one hour after departure from Laramie, WY, the plt requested the Laramie weather in an attempt to return. The plt radioed he lost his gyros and declared an emergency. The fss received a special VFR clearance due to below VFR minimum weather, but was unable to issue it due to lost radio communications. Post-accident investigation revealed the vacuum pump had been installed without the shear shaft coupling. The airframe and engine logbooks did not identify previous work performed or person(s) who may have worked on the pump.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4825V
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG00392
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-F1A6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Travis Air Patrol Company
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 9, 1988
- Departed
- LAR
- Destination
- RWL · Rawlins, WY
- Airport
- LAR · General Brees Field
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
- 58
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 14,350 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 50° at 10 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 200 ft
- Temperature
- 23 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAR, 7 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.