# NTSB NYC83FA160: Cessna 172N, N738SF, Jaffrey, NH, June 28, 1983 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: June 28, 1983, 10:01 local (14:01 UTC) - Place: Jaffrey, NH - Location: 42.8114° N, 72.0234° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Jaffrey, NH, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8114&lon=-72.0234&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 35057 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC83FA160 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35057/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC83FA160 ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal - flight into known adverse weather - initiated, pilot in command (contributing factor) - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor) - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor) - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor) - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - terrain condition - high terrain (contributing factor) - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor) ## Analysis AT 0555 EDT, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING FOR A FLT FROM LIMINGTON, ME TO PAWLING, NY. AT THAT TIME, HE STATED HE WAS UNSURE WHEN HE WOULD DEPART, THE DECISION DEPENDED ON THE WX. THE BRIEFER ADVISED THAT AT THAT TIME, VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED & THAT THE PLT SHOULD OBTAIN ANOTHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING, AT APRX O900 EDT, HE TOOK OFF, AN EN ROUTE REFUELING STOP WAS MADE AT CONCORD, NH. HIS ROUTE OF FLT WAS TO THE SOUTHWEST ALONG VICTOR 93. WHEN THE ACFT WAS DETERMINED TO BE OVERDUE, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. LATER, IT WAS FOUND WHERE IT CRASHED NEAR THE TOP OF MT MONADNOCK AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 2900 FT ON A HEADING OF 070. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT, MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. A WITNESS IN THE VICINITY SAW AN ACFT MATCHING ITS DESCRIPTION FLYING BELOW A BROKEN LAYER AT ABOUT 2000 FT MSL. HE STATED HE COULD SEE AN OVERCAST ABOVE THE BROKEN LAYER & THAT MT MONADNOCK WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS MOST OF THE DAY. ## Aircraft - Registration: N738SF (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 172N - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 17270195 - Airframe hours: 1425 - Engines: LYCOMING O-320-H2AD 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Limington-Harmon Air - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 29, 1983, 50 hours before - Departed: CON, CONCORD, NH - Destination: PAWLING, NY ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 130 total, 50 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 340° at 5 knots - Lowest ceiling: 3,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EEN, 7 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19830628037109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830628037109A), Jun 28, 1983: Cessna 172N, Jaffrey, NH, Destroyed. Pilot continued flight with low ceilings and poor visibility. The aircraft impacted the side of a mountain. From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.