Cessna 172G accident near Grenada, Mississippi, June 30, 1984
On June 30, 1984 at about 2:25 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4650L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grenada, Mississippi (Grenada Muni. airport). 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
- June 30, 1984 · about 2:25 pm local time
- Place
- Grenada, Mississippi · Grenada Muni. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4650L · no longer on the register · serial 17254645
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL TO AN UNCONTROLLED ARPT, THE PLT MADE AN APCH WHILE FOLLOWING ABOUT 1/4 MI BEHIND A UH-1 HELICOPTER. AT THAT TIME, THERE WAS A QUARTERING HEAD WIND AT ABOUT 4 KTS. WHILE ON FINAL APCH AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 200 FT AGL, THE CESSNA 172 ENCOUNTERED SEVERE TURBULENCE & THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN FLT. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE CESSNA WENT NEARLY INVERTED AFTER ENCOUNTERING WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE HELICOPTER. THE CESSNA IMPACTED THE GROUND ABOUT 500 FT SHORT OF THE RWY & WAS DAMAGED. THE PLT STATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE THAT HELICOPTERS PRODUCED WAKE TURBULENCE. THE AIM ADDRESSES HELICOPTER DOWNWASH & ROTOR VORTICES.
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: 860 hours in all; 812 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 786 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,554 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HKS Jackson MS
- Destination: M42
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,845 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from GWO, 50 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.