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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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June 7, 1982 · Cessna 172M · N13687

Thomasville, GA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
June 7, 1982
Injury Outcomes
2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Location
Thomasville, GA
Aircraft
Cessna 172M
Tail Number
N13687
Operator
Maxwell Ford Tractor
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL82FLA03

The aircraft was being operated on a business flight for the purpose of surveying farm crops in the area. At about 1700 EDT, it crashed into a 20 acre farm lake while on a westerly heading. The weather was reported as clear, visibility 6 to 7 miles with haze, temperature 90 degrees, and the wind was calm. Reportedly, the lake had a glassy surface. There were 3 witnesses that were fishing from a boat near the center of the lake. They reported that the aircraft passed along the south side of the lake on an easterly heading, circled and descended near the southeast corner of the lake, then came out of the turn and headed toward their boat. Witnesses estimated that the aircraft flew 10 to 30 feet over the boat, then struck the water with no change in engine sound. Divers found no bodies in the cockpit, the seat belt and shoulder harness were found hanging loose with no damage and no evidence of being latched during impact. An examination of the engine and aircraft revealed no preimpact failures.

Full Narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A BUSINESS FLIGHT FOR THE PURPOSE OF SURVEYING FARM CROPS IN THE AREA. AT ABOUT 1700 EDT, IT CRASHED INTO A 20 ACRE FARM LAKE WHILE ON A WESTERLY HEADING. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS CLEAR, VISIBILITY 6 TO 7 MILES WITH HAZE, TEMPERATURE 90 DEGREES, AND THE WIND WAS CALM. REPORTEDLY, THE LAKE HAD A GLASSY SURFACE. THERE WERE 3 WITNESSES THAT WERE FISHING FROM A BOAT NEAR THE CENTER OF THE LAKE. THEY REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT PASSED ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE LAKE ON AN EASTERLY HEADING, CIRCLED AND DESCENDED NEAR THE SOUTHEAST CORNER OF THE LAKE, THEN CAME OUT OF THE TURN AND HEADED TOWARD THEIR BOAT. WITNESSES ESTIMATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT FLEW 10 TO 30 FEET OVER THE BOAT, THEN STRUCK THE WATER WITH NO CHANGE IN ENGINE SOUND. DIVERS FOUND NO BODIES IN THE COCKPIT, THE SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS WERE FOUND HANGING LOOSE WITH NO DAMAGE AND NO EVIDENCE OF BEING LATCHED DURING IMPACT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURES.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:00 EDT
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172M
Tail NumberN13687
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorMaxwell Ford Tractor
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-E20 · Reciprocating · 160
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary2 injuries (2 fatalities)
Fatal2
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total2
Crew 1Age 22 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility7 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point19 C / 0 C
Altimeter0

Appendix: Source Data