Cessna 172C accident near Edinburgh, New York, July 11, 2004
On July 11, 2004 at about 6:26 pm local time, a Cessna 172C, registered N8358X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edinburgh, New York (Plateau Sky Ranch airport). It was a personal 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 occluded left main coronary artery, which resulted in a massive heart attack and sudden death in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2004 · about 6:26 pm local time
- Place
- Edinburgh, New York · Plateau Sky Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172C · all 172Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8358X · no longer on the register · serial 17248858
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was completing a circuit in the landing pattern. When a witness saw it, it was about half way down the 2,200-foot runway, about 10 feet above the ground. The airplane appeared as if it was going to land; however, "if [the pilot] had landed, he would've overrun the runway." The witness's view was blocked once the airplane passed by, but he heard the engine running. The witness did not hear any change in the engine's power setting, but subsequently heard the airplane crash. The pilot took no action to avoid trees, that would have been clearly visible and directly in front of the airplane, by either a shallow turn or a slight increase in rate of climb. Initial tree impacts were about 60 feet high, and 350 feet directly beyond the end of the runway. Despite resuscitation efforts for nearly an hour after the accident, the pilot never regained a heartbeat. Autopsy results revealed an occlusion of the left main coronary artery, and there were no injuries noted that would have resulted in an immediate death from impact. A postcrash examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies.
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: 1,526 hours in all; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 26, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2004; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1F2 Edinburgh NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from GFL, 24 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.