Cessna 172 accident near Evansville, Indiana, May 6, 1983
On May 6, 1983 at about 6:22 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8084B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Evansville, Indiana (Evansville Dress Reg. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- May 6, 1983 · about 6:22 pm local time
- Place
- Evansville, Indiana · Evansville Dress Reg. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8084B · registry record · serial 29884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT BALLOONED DURING LANDING AND STALLED COMING DOWN ON THE NOSE GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT DRAGGEDBOTH WING TIPS DURING THE SEQUENCE. THE PLT SAID THE LANDING WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE MAIN GEAR TOUCHED DOWN AND THEN A GUSTOF WIND LIFTED THE ACFT 3-4 FT. THE ACFT STALLED. THE PLT WAS TOLD LATER THAT ONE OF HIS PASSENGERS GRABBED THE YOKE AND PUSHED THE RUDDER WHEN THE GUST LIFTED THE PLANE. A WITNESS SAID THE ACFT MADE A SLOW APPROACH WITH FULL FLAPS AND BALLOONED TO 5-7 FT AGL. AT THE TOP OF THE BALLOON IT PITCHED ABRUPTLY DOWN WITH RIGHT WING LOW.
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: 100 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,459 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,080 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 19 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:00 pm from EVV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.