- Date
- January 1, 1986, 19:21 local (Jan 2, 1986, 00:21 UTC)
- Place
- St. Marys, GA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N21760Cessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860101000019A
- Case key
- 31476
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Drg a ngt x-country flt, the non-instrument rated plt contacted apch control & rprtd he was 'sort of lost in the fog.' He obtained wx info & elected to divert to waycross, GA. Shortly thereafter, the acft collided with trees on uneven terrain & crashed. Witnesses stated that they heard the acft circle twice & crash. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the acft or eng was found. About 28 mi south at jacksonville, FL, the 1949 EST wx was in part: 600' broken, 1500' overcast, vis 7 mi, wind from 060 deg at 12 KTS. Witnesses rprtd patchy fog in the area of the acdnt. Toxicology checks of tissue from the plt revealed the presence of benzodiazepine (valium) & propoxyphene (darvon). Interviews with the plt's wife & an aviation medical examiner revealed the plt had used these medications for arthritis.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N21760
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17264008
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Lewis R. Davis
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · September 1, 1985
- Departed
- X47 · Bunnell, FL
- Destination
- AYS · Waycross, GA
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 100 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 60° at 12 knots
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- JAX, 28 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.