# NTSB IAD79FA061: Cessna 172, N20739, Kitty Hawk, NC, July 4, 1979

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: July 4, 1979
- Place: Kitty Hawk, NC · KITTY HAWK, NC
- Location: 36.0701° N, 75.7172° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Kitty Hawk, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0701&lon=-75.7172&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Uncontrolled descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/650) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 5 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 3, 1979
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 134177
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD79FA061
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD79FA061

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-2647   79/7/4    KITTY HAWK,NC       CESSNA 172          CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 35, 122
        TIME - 1830                    N20739              PX-  4  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  TOTAL HOURS, 86 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            NOT INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          KITTY HAWK,NC               ELIZABETH CITY,NC
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY
           WEATHER - OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY RADIO
        WEATHER FORECAST - FORECAST SUBSTANTIALLY CORRECT
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  80
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          2 MILES OR LESS                                           THUNDERSTORM, RAIN
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          HAZE                                                      81
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          290                                                       7
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      VFR
        REMARKS- FSS SPECIALIST ADVISED PILOT HE DID NOT RECOMMEND VFR FLT AT THAT TIME.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N20739](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N20739-1981-12-21), registration cancelled 1981-12-21, S/N 17263824, built 1974 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172
- Registry model: [Cessna 172M](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (registry code 2072418) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: First Flight

## 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 19790704032139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19790704032139A), Jul 4, 1979: Cessna 172M, Kitty Hawk, NC, Destroyed, 4 fatal. VFR low time plt departed into area of severe thunderstorms. Acft lost wing in flt by exceeding load factors.

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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