Cessna 172 accident near Syracuse, New York, March 25, 1983
On March 25, 1983 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N2918E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Syracuse, New York (Syracuse/Hancock 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
- March 25, 1983 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Syracuse, New York · Syracuse/Hancock
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2918E · registry record · serial 2072434
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A GOLF COURSE AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL APPROACH TO SYRACUSE, NY. THE ACFT HAD DEPARTED VAN WERT, OH AT 1350 AND STOPPED FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES AT COLUMBUS, OH TO PICK UP A PASSENGER AT 1445. THE PILOT CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL APPROACHING SYRACUSE AND WAS VECTORED INTO THE TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 32. THE PILOT STATED THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH. HE CONTACTED APPROACH CONTROL SAYING HE WAS OUT OF FUEL AND COULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A NEARBY GOLF COURSE. DURING LANDING THE NOSE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF. THE ACFT HAD BEEN AIRBORNE ABOUT 5 HOURS WHEN IT LANDED AT 1850. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT IT HAD NO USABLE FUEL ABOARD AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 71 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 39 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,302 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Van Wert OH
- Destination: SYR Syracuse NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 7,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.