Cessna 172N accident near Denton, North Carolina, June 26, 1983
On June 26, 1983 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5096K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Denton, North Carolina (Denton airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 26, 1983 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Denton, North Carolina · Denton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5096K · no longer on the register · serial 17273967
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING ARRIVAL, SHE ELECTED TO LAND ON THE SLOPING RWY, DOWNHILL, SINCE THERE WERE LOWER APCH OBSTACLES FROM THAT DIRECTION. SHE REPORTED THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SOMEWHAT TOO FAR DOWN THE RWY. THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BUT THEY WERE NOT AS EFFECTIVE ON THE GRASS AS SHE HAD ANTICIPATED. THE ACFT CONTINUED SLOWLY OFF THE RWY, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT & ONTO A RAILROAD TRACK & NOSED OVER. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS LIGHT & VARIABLE. APRX 30 MI NORTH NORTHWEST AT WINDSTONSALEM, NC, THE 1950 EDT WIND WAS FROM 130 DEG AT 12 KTS. THE PLT NOTED THAT THE ACCIDENT MIGHT HAVE BEEN AVOIDED BY 1ANDING AT THE THRESHOLD, APPLYING BRAKES IMMEDIATELY & BY HOLDING BACK ON THE YOKE WHILE APPLYING BRAKES.
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
- Flight time: 535 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 458 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 427 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 10, 1983; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 6A6 Albemarle NC at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 2,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from INT, 30 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.