Cessna 172N accident near Birmingham, Alabama, August 3, 1983
On August 3, 1983, a Cessna 172N, registered N738NV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birmingham, Alabama. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- August 3, 1983
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738NV · no longer on the register · serial 17270116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) REPORTED THE ENG BEGAN MISSING WHEN POWER WAS APPLIED AFTER PRACTICING STALLS. A DECISION WAS MADE TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED & THE THROTTLE WAS RETARDED TO DESCEND. THE MIXTURE WAS IN FULL RICH.AFTER A COUPLE OF MINUTES, THE ENG BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH & LOSING POWER. CARBURETOR HEAT & THE THROTTLE WERE ADJUSTED IN AN UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPT TO RESTORE POWER. A DECISION WAS MADE TO LAND ON AN UNOPENED HIGHWAY. DURING FINAL APCH, THE ACFT STRUCK A POWER LINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE 1ST. APRX 10 GAL OF FUEL WAS REMAINING. ALL BUT 1 SPARK PLUG WAS FOUND OILY & SOOTY. THE ENG WAS STARTED & RAN SMOOTHLY TO 1200 RPM. IT HAD 50 HRS OF OPERATION SINCE OVERHAUL. THE PLT HANDBOOK STATED CRUISE SHOULD BE AT 65 TO 75% POWER FOR 50 HRS OR UNTIL OIL CONSUMPTION HAS BEEN STOPPED. A CHAMPION SPARK PLUG PUBLICATION STATED WET, OILY PLUGS MAY BE CAUSED BY AN ENG STILL IN A BREAK-IN PERIOD.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 976 hours in all; 369 in this make and model; 237 in the last 90 days; 855 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 18, 1982; 344 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Birmingham Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.