Cessna 172N accident near Defuniak Spgs, Florida, November 22, 1999
On November 22, 1999 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733AH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Defuniak Spgs, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Was the pilot's failure to obtain a proper weather briefing resulting in his encounter with fog, his having to make a precautionary landing in a field when the aircraft became low on fuel, and the on ground collision with trees during landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1999 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Defuniak Spgs, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733AH · registry record · serial 17268141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departure the pilot checked the weather on television. Upon arriving at his destination, he found the airport fogged in. He diverted to another airport and it was also fogged in. He returned to his departure airport and found it fogged in. He flew southeast from his departure airport and found a break in the fog. Because he was getting low on fuel, he elected to make a precautionary landing in a field. While landing, he landed downwind, and floated over his intended landing point. After touch down, the aircraft rolled into some brush and trees and was damaged.
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: 197 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 123 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,249 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 23, 1999; 170 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 33J Geneva AL at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 14J Elba AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from DHN, 40 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.