Cessna 172P accident near Grahamsville, New York, October 10, 1982
On October 10, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54177, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grahamsville, New York (Sullivan CO. Int'L airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- October 10, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Grahamsville, New York · Sullivan CO. Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54177 · no longer on the register · serial 17274905
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED ON A LOCAL SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT WITH FULL FUEL TANKS. ABOUT ONE HOUR AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT FLEW OVER THE PASSENGERS' HOUSE TO TAKE PICTURES. WHILE A PASSENGER WAS PHOTOGRAPHING THE HOUSE, THE PILOT'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED TOWARD THE GROUND. DURING THIS TIME, HE LOST REFERENCE OF HIS ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED AND BEGAN TO APPROACH RISING TERRAIN. HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB, BUT THE PLANE WAS NEAR STALLING SPEED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED TREE TOPS AND THE AIRCRAFT CARTWHEELED TO THE GROUND.
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: 86 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 547 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSV Monticello NY at 2:00 pm
- Destination: MSV Monticello NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.