Cessna 172N accident near Lebanon, New Hampshire, May 17, 1991
On May 17, 1991 at about 12:16 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4650G, was destroyed in an accident near Lebanon, New Hampshire. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. CONTRIBUTING WAS MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, LOW CLOUDS, AND VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1991 · about 12:16 pm local time
- Place
- Lebanon, New Hampshire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4650G · no longer on the register · serial 17273276
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A 4700 FOOT HIGH MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 200 FEET BELOW ITS TOP DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 18 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT. RECORDED RADAR DATA SHOWED AN AIRPLANE AT ALTITUDE VARYING BETWEEN 4000 AND 5400 FEET MSL, DURING A 10 MINUTE PERIOD, WITH THE DATA ENDING AT 0816 EDT, 16 MIN AFTER DEPARTURE. THE DATA SHOWS THE FLIGHT PATH ROUGHLY CORRESPONDING WITH THE DIRECT ROUTE OF FLIGHT BETWEEN THE DEPARTURE POINT AND DESTINATION, WHICH IS A NORTHERLY COURSE. ANOTHER PILOT WHO FLEW NEAR THE ACCIDENT SITE ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE DEPARTED, REPORTED THE MOUNTAIN WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS AT THE TIME. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT HAD BEEN INACTIVE FROM FLYING FOR ABOUT 17 YEARS. HE RESUMED FLYING ABOUT 2 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. DURING WHICH TIME HE ALSO ACQUIRED 3 HOURS OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TRAINING.
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: 170 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 120 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,926 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 1991; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Classic Air Charter CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: 6A8 Abingdon VA at 12:00 pm
- Destination: BKW Beckley WV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:23 pm from BLF, 111 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.