- Date
- May 28, 1989, 15:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Oakland, AR
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N9646HCessna 172M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890528013239A
- Case key
- 34686
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
Pilot electing to buzz persons on the lake at low altitude and colliding with power lines.
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 accident aircraft was observed at very low altitude over a lake. Witnesses stated that the plt rocked the wings several times as if 'waving' to someone on the lake. The aircraft hit wires approximately 45 feet above the surface of the lake. Aircraft control was lost and the aircraft impacted the lake.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9646H
- Reported as
- Cessna 172M
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17266293
- Airframe hours
- 4,630
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- D & H Aero Service
- Registered owner
- D & H Aero Services Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 13, 1989 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- Oakland, AR
- Destination
- Gaston, AR
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
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 550 total · 400 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HRO, 38 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.
Other investigations on N9646H · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.