- Date
- September 20, 1989, 20:30 local (Sep 21, 1989, 03:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hyannis, NE
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N733FYCessna 172N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890920035609A
- Case key
- 34697
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
Failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude. Darkness and adverse weather conditions were related factors.
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 pilot received a complete weather briefing for his intended route of flight. The briefing included warning advisories affecting his intended route. The pilot filed a VFR flight plan; however, he encountered marginal wx conditions at night with heavy rain. He elected to make a 180 degree turn and land at a nearby airport. He said he leaned forward to look at the magnetic compass, but could not remember anything further about the flight. An investigation revealed the aircraft had descended & collided with the terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N733FY
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17268272
- Airframe hours
- 1,898
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Alliance Aero Service Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 31, 1989 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- OLU · Columbus, NE
- Destination
- AIA · Alliance, NE
- Flight plan
- VFR
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
- 54
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 1,523 as pilot in command · 98 in the last 90 days · 33 in the last 30 days · 8 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 340° at 12 knots
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CDR, 82 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.