Cessna 172E accident near Middlebourne, West Virginia, August 30, 1983
On August 30, 1983 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N5331T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middlebourne, West Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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
- August 30, 1983 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Middlebourne, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N5331T · registry record · serial 17251231
- 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 EN ROUTE, THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. REPORTEDLY, HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, FULL RICH MIXTURE & FULL THROTTLE, BUT WAS UNABLE TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE POWER. HE CIRCLED FOR A SHORT TIME, THEN MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AN EXAM OF THE ENG REVEALED SOOTED SPARK PLUGS & OIL FOULING OF THE #2 & #4 LOWER SPARK PLUGS. NO APPARENT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED. THE TEMP & DEW POINT WERE 87 & 67 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. DAMAGE HAD OCCURRED DURING THE LANDING ROLL WHEN THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A GULLEY.
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: 191 hours in all; 126 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 157 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,683 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 28, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 5G8 Jeanette PA at 3:50 pm
- Destination: HTS Huntington WV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.