Cessna 172H accident near Grayling, Michigan, August 2, 1992
On August 2, 1992 at about 3:05 am local time, a Cessna 172H, registered N8183L, was destroyed in an accident near Grayling, Michigan (Grayling Aaf airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 2, 1992 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Grayling, Michigan · Grayling Aaf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · all 172Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8183L · registry record · serial 17256383
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INTENDED A DAYTIME CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. THE PASSENGER ARRIVED LATE, AND THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED AFTER SUNSET. NO RECORD OF A WEATHER BRIEF WAS FOUND. TWO HOURS AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT ENENTERED AN AREA OF THUNDERSHOWERS AND HEAVY RAIN. RESIDENTS NEAR THE CRASH SITE HEARD THE LOUD ENGINE NOISE OF AN AIRPLANE PASSING LOW OVERHEAD. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES WHILE HEADING AWAY FROM ITS DESTINATION IN A SHALLOW DESCENT, WITH 40 DEGREES RIGHT BANK.
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: 537 hours in all; 36 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 477 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,173 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1992; 172 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Safety Flying Club, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 1D2 Plymouth MI at 1:00 am
- Destination: ISQ Manistique MI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 am from TVC, 45 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.