Cessna 172N accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts, July 19, 1984
On July 19, 1984 at about 4:00 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4950G, was destroyed in an accident near Nantucket, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 19, 1984 · about 4:00 am local time
- Place
- Nantucket, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4950G · no longer on the register · serial 17273497
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DISAPPEARED AFTER DEPARTING ON THE RETURN LEG OF A X-COUNTRY. THE PLT HAD CALLED THE OPERATOR AT THE HOME BASE AND REPORTED THAT IMC WEATHER EXISTED FOR THE RETURN. THE PLT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ACFT WAS NOT NEEDED AND HE DID NOT NEED TO HURRY BACK. THE PLT HAD CHECKED THE WEATHER TWICE AND BEEN INFORMED ON EACH OCCASION THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. IN SPITE OF THIS THE PLT DEPARTED AFTER 2200 ON 7/18. SEARCH OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL IN LOCATING THE ACFT.
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: 102 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,443 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 1983; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Macdan Aviation CORP.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 am from ACK
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.