Cessna 172P accident near Asheville, North Carolina, June 15, 1982
On June 15, 1982 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N6545K, was destroyed in an accident near Asheville, North Carolina. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1982 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N6545K · no longer on the register · serial 17274210
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT REPORTEDLY INVOLVED MOUNTAIN FLYING TECHNIQUES. THE STUDENT OBSERVED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT CLIMBING NORMALLY & THE CFI SUGGESTED THEY SLOW TO 70K. THE STUDENT STARTED A TURN TOWARD A WIDE VALLEY BUT THE CFI URGED HIM TO CONTINUE TOWARD THE MTNS WHICH TOOK THE ACFT INTO A NARROWER VALLEY & RISING TERRAIN. AFTER THE STUDENT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT CLIMBING AT ALL THE CFI TOOK CONTROL. HE WAS UNABLE TO RE-ESTABLISH A CLIMB & REPORTED THAT A TURN-AROUND WAS NOLONGER A SAFE MANEUVER. HE SLOWED THE ACFT & MUSHED INTO THE TREES. THE CFI REPORTED HE ADDED CARB HEAT WHEN THEY WERE NO LONGER ABLE TO CLIMB, BUT AFTER NOTICING AN RPM DROP IN 15 SECS HE SWITCHED CARB HEAT TO COLD. HE SLOWED THE ACFT TO 57-58K & EXTENDED 10 DEG OF FLAPS. THE C-172P POH INDICATES THAT THE BEST ANGLE OF CLIMB SPEED(VX) VARIES FROM 60-65K FROM SL TO 10,000 FT. IT SUGGESTS FLAPS UP TO OBTAIN BEST ANGLE PERFORMANCE. THE ACFT CAME TO REST INVERTED WHICH LEFT THE OCCUPANTS INVERTED & THEY REPORTEDLY HAD DIFFICULTY IN RELEASING THEIR SEAT BELT BUCKLES.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 990 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 875 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 485 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Kilpatrick Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 047 Hendersonville NC at 1:05 pm
- Destination: 047 Hendersonville NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:49 pm from AVL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.