Cessna 172P accident near Sylva, North Carolina, July 22, 1991
On July 22, 1991 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52433, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sylva, North Carolina. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE CANYON. FACTOR(S) IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE MOUNTAINOUS, BOX CANYON CONDITIONS, THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND THE DOWNDRAFT CONDITIONS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1991 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sylva, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52433 · no longer on the register · serial 17274518
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND TWO OBSERVERS WERE ON A MISSION TO SEARCH FOR MARIJUANA PLANTS GROWING IN A MOUNTAINOUS CANYON. DURING SLOW FLIGHT, THEY ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE AIRSPEED DECAYED, AND ESCAPE ROUTES FROM THE CANYON WERE NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT AND GUIDED IT INTO THE TREES. FOLLOWING THE COLLISION WITH TREES, THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND BELOW. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE TEMPERATURE AT THE TIME WAS 92 DEGREES, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS NEAR MAX GROSS WEIGHT. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 6,000 FEET. INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE, AND NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE REPORTED BY THE PILOT.
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: 295 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 189 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,467 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 22, 1991; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 24A Sylva NC at 6:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from AVL, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.