- Date
- December 29, 1989, 12:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Meridian, MS
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N733FKCessna 172N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19891229054289A
- Case key
- 32540
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
In flight loss of control by the pilot while flying in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing factor(s) was: the pilot's apprehension toward instrument flying and the adverse weather conditions that existed at the time.
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
At 1151, while being vectored for an approach, the pilot reported he was encountering 'a little chop and rain' and requested a descent. At 1159, while being vectored around weather, the pilot reported'...I cannot hold my altitude. Examination of the crash site indicated the airplane descended through trees in a nose down near vertical attitude. The pilot's wife stated that the pilot did not feel comfortable flying on instruments and that he was afraid he might encounter vertigo.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733FK
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268260
- Airframe hours
- 3,074
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Baber'S Firestone, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 4, 1989 · 66 hours before
- Departed
- TCL · Tuscaloosa, AL
- Destination
- MEI · Meridian, MS
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- MEI · Key Field, runway 1, 8,004 × 150 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
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 912 total · 852 in this make and model · 822 as pilot in command · 51 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- MEI, 9 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.