Cessna 172D accident near Missing, AO, January 7, 1991
On January 7, 1991 at about 10:21 pm local time, a Cessna 172D, registered N2165Y, was destroyed in an accident near Missing, AO. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND A LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTURE, THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND LIGHT CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 1991 · about 10:21 pm local time
- Place
- Missing, AO
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172D · all 172Ds on the register
- Registration
- N2165Y · no longer on the register · serial 17249665
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THERE IS NO RECORD OF THE PILOT RECEIVING A WEATHER BRIEFING BEFORE DEPARTING SOUTHPORT, NC. ABOUT 35 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTING SOUTHPORT, THE PILOT CONTACTED WILMINGTON APPROACH CONTROL STATING HE WAS UNSURE OF HIS POSITION, WAS IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLIGICAL CONDITIONS, WAS NOT QUALIFIED AS AN INSTRUMENT PILOT, AND REQUESTED WEATHER INFORMATION. WILMINGTON APPROACH ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR THE AIRPLANE TO WILMINGTON AIRPORT. AT 1721 RADAR AND RADIO COMMUNICATION WERE LOST. THERE WAS A FRONTAL SYSTEM IN THE AREA AT THE TIME WHICH CONTAINED SIGNIFICANT CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY AND EXTENSIVE RAIN. AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND INJURIES ARE PRESUMED.
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: 319 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUT Southport NC at 9:30 pm
- Destination: N59 Carolina Beach NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 020° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ILM, 40 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.
Other NTSB records under N2165Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.