Cessna 172 accident near Gastonia, North Carolina, June 22, 1983
On June 22, 1983 at about 1:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5284D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gastonia, North Carolina (Gastonia Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 22, 1983 · about 1:55 pm local time
- Place
- Gastonia, North Carolina · Gastonia Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5284D · registry record · serial 17272493
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON A ASR APPROACH AND SIGHTED THE RUNWAY AT 1/2-MILE OUT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 800 FEET AGL. TOUCHDOWN WAS MADE AT ABOUT HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY AT 68 KTS WITH 40 DEGREES OF FLAPS. BRAKING WAS LESS THAN GOOD AND THE ACFT HIT A BARRIER AT RUNWAYS END WHICH CAUSED IT TO NOSE OVER. THE PILOT STATED IT WAS RAINING AT TIME OF LANDING WITH STANDING WATER ON THE RUNWAY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 970 hours in all; 791 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 875 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC at 12:55 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 3,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from CLT, 11 miles away
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.