- Date
- May 2, 1986, 22:50 local (May 3, 1986, 03:50 UTC)
- Place
- Starkville, MS
- Injuries
- 4 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4838GCessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report March 25, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860502015559A
- Case key
- 31499
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
Witnesses rprtd that the plt had purchased wine cooler beverages before going to the arpt. He stated that he drank from one of the bottles before the flt. The plt took off at about 2230 CDT. After takeoff, he flew back over the arpt & made a low pass over a building (plt lounge). He initiated a 2nd pass toward the plt lounge (during darkness), but the acft struck trees, crashed to the ground & burned. No preimpact mechanical problems were rprtd. A check of the plt's blood (taken 1 hr & 20 min after the acdnt) showed an alcohol lvl of 25 mg% (0.025%) & a trace of butalbital. Fiorinal tablets (butalbital) had been prescribed for medication.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4838G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273385
- Airframe hours
- 2,210
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jim Ratliff Air Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · April 28, 1986 · 7 hours before
- Airport
- STF · George M Bryan
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
- 18
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 40 total · 2 in this make and model · 19 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CBN, 24 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.