# NTSB NYC83LA258: Cessna 172G, N3692L, Woodford, VT, September 27, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: September 27, 1983, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place: Woodford, VT
- Location: 42.8804° N, 73.0795° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Woodford, VT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.8804&lon=-73.0795&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 35283
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC83LA258
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/35283/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC83LA258

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - in-flight planning/decision - poor, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal
  - stall/mush - inadvertent, pilot in command (cause)
  - diverted attention, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled
  - object - tree(s)

## Analysis

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT WEATHER WAS CLEAR AT TIME OF DEPARTURE WITH CLOUDS AT ABOUT 4000-4500 FEET BUT CLR ABOVE. HE ENTERED A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS AND BEGAN FOLLOWING A ROAD. AS THE WEATHER BEGAN CLOSING IN FROM ABOVE AND THE ROAD BECAME CURVY, THE PILOT HAD TO MAKE QUICKER AND QUICKER TURNS. THE ACFT BECAME LOW AND THE STALL WARNING BUZZER SOUNDED. THE ACFT STALLED INTO THE TREES AT ABOUT 60 MPH WITH FULL THROTTLE AND A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N3692L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3692L-2004-04-27), registration cancelled 2004-04-27, S/N 17253861 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172G
- Registry model: [Cessna 172G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172g) (registry code 2072420) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 172-53861
- Airframe hours: 3130
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-300-D 145 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Morris W. Herbst
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, December 6, 1982, 129 hours before
- Departed: MT. SNOW, VT
- Destination: BENNINGTON, VT

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 70; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 425 total, 234 in this make and model, 316 as pilot in command, 21 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Day
- Visibility: 1 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830927051769A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830927051769A), Sep 27, 1983: Cessna 172G, Woodford, VT, Destroyed. Let down through a hole in clouds. Weather worsened trying to follow a road. Elected to crash land in tree tops.

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.

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