Cessna 172RG accident near Plattsburgh, New York, May 31, 1983
On May 31, 1983 at about 4:40 am local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6207R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Plattsburgh, New York (Clinton County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- May 31, 1983 · about 4:40 am local time
- Place
- Plattsburgh, New York · Clinton County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6207R · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING AN IFR ARRIVAL, APRX 1 MI FROM THE OUTER MARKER (OM), THE PLT ASKED FOR A DESCENT FROM 3300 FT MSL & WAS CLEARED FOR THE LOCALIZER, RWY 1 APCH. THE PUBLISHED MIN ALT AT THE OM WAS 2100 FT. THE PLT REPORTED AT THE OM, AND 11 SECONDS LATER, THE CONTROLLER ASKED IF HE WANTED TO MAKE A 360 DEG TURN TO LOSE ALT. THE PLT DECLINED, BUT HE MADE 2 S-TURNS WHILE DESCENDING ON THE APCH. HE STATED THAT AT 800 FT MSL, HE APPLIED CRUISE POWER, CHECKED HIS TIME & NOTED HE HAD 30 SECONDS REMAINING TO GET TO THE MISSED APCH POINT. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, HE HEARD A 'LOUD BANG.' HE THEN MADE A MISSED APCH, DIVERTED TO BURLINGTON, VT & LANDED FROM AN ILS APCH. AFTER LANDING FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE WAS FOUND ON THE LEADINGEDGES OF THE WINGS, PROP SPINNER & LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. TREE FOLIAGE WAS ALSO FOUND ON THE ACFT. THE CONTROLLER STATED THE ARTS TARGET WENT TO A NON-BEACON STATUS AT THE APCH END OF THE RWY (AT 500 FT MSL). THE MDA WAS 720 FT MSL & THE MIN CEILING & VISIBILITY WERE 400 FT & 1 MI. APRX 4 MI SOUTHEAST, THE 0034 WX WAS 400 FT OBSCD, 7/8 MI VIS, FOG.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 648 hours in all; 255 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 532 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,510 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1982; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSF Pittsfield MA at 3:30 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 1, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.