- Date
- May 20, 1983, 15:12 local (19:12 UTC)
- Place
- N. Stonington, CT
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 5 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4980GCessna 172N
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830520075909A
- Case key
- 35047
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 collided with a tree during a go-around at night following a downwind precautionary landing. During the flt the plt had noted the fuel gauges at low readings and said he suspected a 'fuel leak'. He made radio calls to try to go to an arpt before fuel exhaustion. Shortly after radio contact was made communications were lost and an electrical failure was experienced. The plt descended below the clouds. He abandoned one approach because the field looked 'short and soggy.' The next approach to another field was missed he said because of a tailwind. During go-around the engine quit and the acft collided with a tree. Examination of the acft after the accident showed the alternator circuit breakerpopped. The alternator was removed and tested. It produced a voltage indication at 700 rpms to 4500 rpms. Maximum voltage was 30 volts. The low voltage light bulb was incorrect and the wiring was disconnected. The weather at accident time was conducive to carburetor icing.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4980G
- Reported as
- Cessna 172N
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17273527
- Airframe hours
- 830
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-H2AD, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Coastal Air Services, Inc.
- Registered owner
- Whiteny Bowles DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 17, 1983 · 74 hours before
- Departed
- ACK · Nantucket, MA
- Destination
- GON · Groton, CT
- Flight plan
- IFR
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
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,510 total · 550 in this make and model · 2,295 as pilot in command · 115 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GON, 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.