Cessna 172G accident near Worthville, North Carolina, May 17, 1982
On May 17, 1982, a Cessna 172G, registered N5884R, was destroyed in an accident near Worthville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- May 17, 1982
- Place
- Worthville, North Carolina
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N5884R · no longer on the register · serial 17253553
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PILOT ENTERED A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 11 AND PROCEEDED TO MAKE A LOW PASS OVER THE STRIP TO CHASE OFF COWS. AT APPROXIMATELY MIDFIELD, HE INITIATED A CLIMB AND ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGER, WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND PROPERLY. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT BEGIN A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN, AND AT THAT TIME, THE ENGINE SOUNDED AS IF IT WERE SPUTTERING, THEN QUIT. THIS WITNESS SAID THE AIRCRAFT MADE A DESCENDING LEFT TURN AND HIT THE GROUND, HE BELIEVED THE PILOT WAS AVOIDING A WOODED AREA. ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE PLANE PITCHED DOWN ABRUPTLY.THE PILOT RECEIVED A HEAD INJURY AND DID NOT REMEMBER DETAILS OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT BELIEVED THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS ON AND FULL FLAPS WERE EXTENDED. A CHECK REVEALED THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS OFF AND THE FLAPS WERE RETRACTED. NO PRECRASH ENGINE FAILURES WERE FOUND. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 68 AND 61 DEGREES. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS ON 12/6/79. NO METAL-TO-METAL LATCHES ON SEAT BELTS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,259 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Holly Ridge NC at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 4N6 Garden City NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.