- Date
- October 10, 1982, 15:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Grahamsville, NY
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N54177Cessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 10, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821010052039A
- Case key
- 70861
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 pilot and two passengers departed on a local sightseeing flight with full fuel tanks. About one hour after takeoff, the pilot flew over the passengers' house to take pictures. While a passenger was photographing the house, the pilot's attention was diverted toward the ground. During this time, he lost reference of his altitude and airspeed and began to approach rising terrain. He applied full power and attempted to climb, but the plane was near stalling speed. Subsequently, the left wing contacted tree tops and the aircraft cartwheeled to the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N54177
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17274905
- Airframe hours
- 547
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Joseph Friedman
- Registered owner
- Joseph Friedman
- Departed
- MSV · Monticello, NY
- Destination
- MSV · Monticello, NY
- Airport
- MSV · Sullivan Co. Int'L, runway 15, 6,300 × 150 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
- 39
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 86 total · 86 in this make and model · 40 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.