Cessna 172P accident near Redding, Connecticut, July 1, 1983
On July 1, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N62511, was substantially damaged in an accident near Redding, Connecticut. 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
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
- July 1, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Redding, Connecticut
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N62511 · registry record · serial 17275289
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT RAMAPO, NY. DURING A PREFLIGHT CHECK, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED FULL. WHEN HE VISUALLY CHECKED THE FUEL TANKS, HE ESTIMATED THAT THE FUEL LEVEL IN EACH TANK WAS ABOUT 1 INCH FROM BEING FULL. THE FUEL CAPACITY OF THIS ACFT WAS 54 GAL, OF WHICH, 4 GAL WAS UNUSABLE. THE PLT ESTIMATED THAT HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL FOR THE PLANNED 3 HR FLT. APRX 30 MIN AFTER DEPARTING RAMAPO, HE MADE A PASSENGER STOP AT STORMVILLE, NY. AFTER ANOTHER 1 HR OF FLT, HE LANDED AT BLOCK ISLAND, RI. BEFORE DEPARTING BLOCK ISLAND, HE MADE A PREFLIGHT CHECK & NOTED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED SLIGHTLY OVER 1/2 FULL. HOWEVER, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS BEFORE STARTING THE 1.3 HR RETURN FLT. WHILE EN ROUTE TO SPRING VALLEY, NY, THE ENG LOST POWER AFTER AN ADDITIONAL1 HR OF FLT. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE ACFT STRUCK BRUSH & SAPLINGS. AFTER THE ORIGINAL DEPARTURE FROM RAMAPO, THE HOBBS METER SHOWED 2.5 HRS ELAPSED TIME. REPORTEDLY, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS AFTER THE MISHAP.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,010 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 21,550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1982; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tag Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BID Block Island RI
- Destination: N24 Spring Valley NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N62511 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.