- Date
- February 28, 1988, 10:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oxford, IA
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5816ECessna 172N
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 4, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880228005639A
- Case key
- 34486
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 stated that the aircraft appeared to be in trouble immediatley after takeoff, as the wings were rapidly rocking while it was struggling to stay airborne. The aircraft turned sharply left, where it then barely cleared a row of trees. The airplane continued, with its wings still rocking, when it suddenly pitched up as it apchd some power lines. The aircraft was observed clearing the power lines, hanging in mid-air, then plummeting nose first to the ground. There was no in-flight nor post-crash fire. On-scene documentation indicated that the pilot had used 20 degrees of flaps for takeoff. A complete engine teardown inspection revealed no preexisting discrepancies.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5816E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17271943
- Airframe hours
- 3,209
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Don Nelson, doing business as Green Castle Aviation, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Aeromedicus Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 22, 1987 · 55 hours before
- Departed
- IA24
- Destination
- 55C · Dodgeville, WI
- Airport
- IA24 · Green Castle, runway 13, 2,600 × 30 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
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 83 total · 27 in this make and model · 58 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CID, 8 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.