- Date
- May 25, 1988, 13:45 local (17:45 UTC)
- Place
- Lake City, FL
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N736VSCessna 172K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 16, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880525053219A
- Case key
- 32018
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
The acft, while on a local flight, struck a telephone transmission line on the approach end of runway 1. Witnesses stated that they saw the acft takeoff to the west and make a right turn and go out of sight. Aprx three to five minutes later, they heard the acft crash. Investigation revealed that a higher wire that was marked with red balls, was removed by the power company the day before the accident, and the lower wire that was struck by the aircraft was supposed to have been removed soon after the upper wire. Toxicological studies performed on the pilot by the office of the medical examiner in jacksonville, FL indicated a blood alcohol level of 130 mg/dl. The harris medical laboratory of fort worth, TX revealed a blood alcohol level of 286 mg/dl and a urine alcohol level of 289 mg/dl. According to tire tracks found at the scene, the acft taxied under the remaining wire before taking off to the west.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N736VS
- Reported as
- Cessna 172K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R1722827
- Airframe hours
- 616
- Engine
- Continental IO-360-K, 195 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Howard D. Sickels
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 6, 1987 · 108 hours before
- Airport
- 15FL · Brothers Welcome, runway 1, 3,449 × 200 ft, asphalt
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,853 total · 1,850 as pilot in command · 66 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 250° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GNV, 40 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.