Cessna 172E accident near Columbia Sta., Ohio, August 30, 1983
On August 30, 1983 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N3540S, was destroyed in an accident near Columbia Sta., Ohio (Columbia Station airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 30, 1983 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Columbia Sta., Ohio · Columbia Station
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N3540S · no longer on the register · serial 17250740
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE NON-RATED PLT, HE WAS ON DOWNWIND TO LAND WHEN HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT, THEN THE ENG RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE. HE STATED THAT HE PUSHED THE THROTTLE FORWARD, BUT GOT NO RESPONSE FROM THE ENG. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO LOSE ALTITUDE & HIT POWER LINES. HOWEVER, THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS A RATED PLT STATED THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE THE PLT WAS NOT RATED. THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT HE OBSERVED NO MALFUNCTION OF THE POWER PLANT OPERATION BUT THAT THE APCH WAS FLOWN TOO LOW TO CLEAR THE POWER LINES. AFTER COLLIDING WITH THE POWER LINES, THE ACFT CRASHED TO THE GROUND IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY OBTAINED A STUDENT PLT CERTIFICATE, BUT HIS MEDICAL HAD EXPIRED. A TOXICOLOGICAL EXAM REVEALED THAT HE HAD A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.147%.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 36 hours in all; 12 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,715 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1G6 Strongville OH at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.