Cessna 172 accident near Taunton, Massachusetts, January 24, 1982
On January 24, 1982 at about 7:30 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N80420, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taunton, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- January 24, 1982 · about 7:30 am local time
- Place
- Taunton, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N80420 · no longer on the register · serial 17266579
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT ON AN UNSUPERVISED PLEASURE FLIGHT. HIS PASSENGER DID NOT HOLD ANY TYPE OF PILOT CERTIFICATE. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED FOG.HE USED THE NBD FOR ORIENTATION AND WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. HE REPORTED OBTAINING VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY AFTER DESCENDING TO 500 FT, BUT WAS TOO HIGH TO LAND. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE STARTED TO MAKE A 360 DEGREE TURN AND DESCEND. HOWEVER, AS HE WAS MAKING THE TURN, HE ENTERED ANOTHER FOG BANK, BECAME DISORIENTED, AND CRASHED INTO TREES.
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: student
- Flight time: 51 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 51 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,741 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TAN Taunton MA at 2:00 am
- Destination: TAN Taunton MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.