Cessna 172N accident near Bedford, Virginia, March 17, 1990
On March 17, 1990, a Cessna 172N, registered N76026, was destroyed in an accident near Bedford, Virginia. 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 DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE, LOW CEILINGS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND RAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1990
- Place
- Bedford, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N76026 · no longer on the register · serial 17268094
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FOR THE FLT DURING WHICH HE WAS INFORMED THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE PLT AND PAX DEPARTED PAINTSVILLE, KY, ABOUT 1730 EST. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A HOLLOW OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. WX OBSERVATION LISTED ABOVE WAS TAKEN 20 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ANOTHER PLT STATED THE WX WAS MARGINAL WITH RAIN STORMS NEAR THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PLT HAD ALREADY TAKEN FOUR DAYS OFF WORK AND WAS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO WORK ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.
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: 132 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 57 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,529 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1989; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Virginia Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 3I6 Paintsville KY at 10:30 pm
- Destination: LYH Lynchburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 16 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from LYN, 20 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.
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.