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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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March 17, 1989 · Cessna 172M · N80542

Pascagoula, MS

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 17, 1989
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Location
Pascagoula, MS
Aircraft
Cessna 172M
Tail Number
N80542
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
MIA89FA109

THE ACFT WAS REPORTED MISSING WHEN IT DID NOT RETURN TO MOBILE AFTER A TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS ON 3/16/89. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL & THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON 3/19/89 WHERE IT CRASHED NEAR THE ARPT AT PASCAGOULA, MS. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WITH TREES APRX 300 YARDS SHORT OF RWY 31. A WITNESS SAID HE HEARD AN ACFT FLY OVER THE ARPT AT APRX 2330 CST. AT THAT TIME, HE NOTED THE WX WAS EXTREMELY FOGGY. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD LOGGED ONLY ABOUT 65 HRS FLT TIME.

NTSB Probable Cause

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING, WEATHER CONDITIONS, PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME, LACK OF VISUAL CUES AT NIGHT, AND TREES AT THE CRASH SITE.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT WAS REPORTED MISSING WHEN IT DID NOT RETURN TO MOBILE AFTER A TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS ON 3/16/89. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL & THE ACFT WAS FOUND ON 3/19/89 WHERE IT CRASHED NEAR THE ARPT AT PASCAGOULA, MS. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WITH TREES APRX 300 YARDS SHORT OF RWY 31. A WITNESS SAID HE HEARD AN ACFT FLY OVER THE ARPT AT APRX 2330 CST. AT THAT TIME, HE NOTED THE WX WAS EXTREMELY FOGGY. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD LOGGED ONLY ABOUT 65 HRS FLT TIME.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time23:30 CST
Nearest AirportJackson County (0nm N)
Runway31
Runway Length4500 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172M
Tail NumberN80542
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-E2D · Reciprocating · 110
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 48 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind90° @ 2 kt
Ceiling200 ft
Temperature / Dew Point63 F / 63 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time05:38
Weather SourceWFAC

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Appendix: Source Data