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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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April 5, 1985 · Cessna 172N · N23TC

White Cloud, MI

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
April 5, 1985
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
White Cloud, MI
Aircraft
Cessna 172N
Tail Number
N23TC
Operator
Charles Hathaway
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
CHI85FA156

AT ABOUT 0250 EST, CONTROL TOWER PSNL AT THE GRAND RAPIDS ARPT HEARD A 'MAYDAY' CALL FROM N23TC, BUT WHEN THEY TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE ACFT, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CALL WAS REPEATED SVRL TIMES. A CHECK AT THE LOCAL ARPT REVEALED THERE WAS AN ACFT MISSING. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, BUT THE ACFT WAS NOT FND UNTIL THE FOLLOWING EVENING. IT HAD CRASHED WHILE IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, SHALLOW LEFT BANK ATTITUDE. PIECES OF WRECKAGE WERE FND UP TO 300 FT FROM WHERE THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. HOWEVER, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS FLYING IN ADVERSE WX WITH LOW CEILINGS & VISIBILITY. ABOUT 25 MI SSE AT GRAND RAPIDS, MI, THE 0251 EST WAS WAS, IN PART: 300 FT OVERCAST & 1.5 MI VISIBILITY WITH FOG. PRIOR TO THE FLT, THE PLT HAD BEEN CELEBRATING IN A SALOON. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF HIS LUNG TISSUE FLUID & BILE SHOWED ALCOHOL LVLS OF 0.104% & 0.128%, RESPECTIVELY.

Full Narrative

AT ABOUT 0250 EST, CONTROL TOWER PSNL AT THE GRAND RAPIDS ARPT HEARD A 'MAYDAY' CALL FROM N23TC, BUT WHEN THEY TRIED TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE ACFT, THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE CALL WAS REPEATED SVRL TIMES. A CHECK AT THE LOCAL ARPT REVEALED THERE WAS AN ACFT MISSING. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, BUT THE ACFT WAS NOT FND UNTIL THE FOLLOWING EVENING. IT HAD CRASHED WHILE IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, SHALLOW LEFT BANK ATTITUDE. PIECES OF WRECKAGE WERE FND UP TO 300 FT FROM WHERE THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FND. HOWEVER, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS FLYING IN ADVERSE WX WITH LOW CEILINGS & VISIBILITY. ABOUT 25 MI SSE AT GRAND RAPIDS, MI, THE 0251 EST WAS WAS, IN PART: 300 FT OVERCAST & 1.5 MI VISIBILITY WITH FOG. PRIOR TO THE FLT, THE PLT HAD BEEN CELEBRATING IN A SALOON. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF HIS LUNG TISSUE FLUID & BILE SHOWED ALCOHOL LVLS OF 0.104% & 0.128%, RESPECTIVELY.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time03:00 EST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172N
Tail NumberN23TC
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorCharles Hathaway
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-H2AD · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 31 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind40° @ 5 kt
Visibility2 sm
CeilingOvercast 300 ft
Temperature / Dew Point41 C / 41 C
Altimeter29.00 inHg
Observation Time07:51
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data