Cessna 172I accident near Essex, New York, October 6, 1984
On October 6, 1984 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N215NY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Essex, New York (Richter Aero airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. 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 6, 1984 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Essex, New York · Richter Aero · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N215NY · no longer on the register · serial 17257083
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED ACFT BECAME AIRBORNE NEAR THE SLIGHT RISE IN THE RWY, APRX 1500 FT DOWN THE RWY, AND CLIMBED TO APRX 60 FT AGL. ACFT SHUTTERED AND NOSE OF ACFT PITCHED UP. LEFT WING AND NOSE THEN DROPPED. ACFT CONTINUED DESCENDING TO THE LEFT ACROSS A SMALL RAVINE WHICH PARALLELED THE RWY, CRASHING INTO THE EASTERLY SIDE OF A RAVINE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED SEAT STOPS WERE NOT FOUND IN PLTS SEAT RAIL. STOP SCREW WAS FOUND ON CABIN FLOOR NEAR LOCATION OF HOLE PROVIDED FOR SEAT STOP IN INBOARD TRACK OF SEAT. 1/2 OF THE BROKEN SEAT STOP WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT CHANNEL OF THE RIGHT PLTS SEAT TRACK APRX 1 INCH FORWARD OF THE INSTALLATION HOLE. THE SEAT TRACK SURFACE WAS SCORED AND ALL HOLES IN THE TRACK WERE ELONGATED. THE SEAT ROLLERS WERE REPLACED IN 1979 DUE TO SLIPPAGE. ACFT CONTAINEDA SEAT SLIPPAGE WARNING PLACARD, 'INSURE AIRCRAFT SEATS ARE POSITIVELY LOCKED BEFORE TAKEOFF AND LANDING.'
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: 952 hours in all; 67 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 859 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,054 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 12, 1984; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E20 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Departed from: NY84 Essex NY
- Destination: NY84 Essex NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.