Cessna 172K accident near Brundidge, Alabama, September 29, 1983
On September 29, 1983 at about 10:02 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N79025, was destroyed in an accident near Brundidge, Alabama (Brundidge Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- September 29, 1983 · about 10:02 pm local time
- Place
- Brundidge, Alabama · Brundidge Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N79025 · no longer on the register · serial 17257820
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING AT 2,000 FT THE PLT SMELLED FUEL FUMES & ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. WHEN WITHIN GLIDING DISTANCE OF THE ARPT, HE SECURED THE ENG WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL & MADE AN UNEVENTFUL DEADSTICK LANDING. AFTER EXITING THE ACFT HE NOTICED FUEL DRIPPING FROM THE LOWER ENG COWLING IN THE VICINITY OF THE CARB. THE PLT OPENED AN EXCESS DOOR & FLAMES ERUPTED WITHIN. THE ACFT EVENTUALLY BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE PLT, WHO IS ALOS AN A&P, PERFORMED THE LAST 100 HR INSP IN 4/83 AT WHICH TIME HE FOUND THAT THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE WAS LOOSE AT THE CARB & HAD TO BE TIGHTENED. ON THEDAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED & THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE WAS FOUND NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE CARB INLET FITTING. THE #3 CYLINDER EXHAUST PIPE WAS BROKEN AWAY FROM THE RIGHT SIDE END PLATE OF THE MUFFLER, PROVIDING A POSSIBLESOURCE OF IGNITION FOR ANY FUEL LEAKING IN THE ENG COMPARTMENT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,065 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 58 in the last 90 days; 8,556 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 71J Ozark AL at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 3,000 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:51 pm from DHN, 34 miles away
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.