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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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October 31, 1982 · Cessna 172M · N8977V

9Nm Nw Quitman, GA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 31, 1982
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 serious injury)
Location
9Nm Nw Quitman, GA
Aircraft
Cessna 172M
Tail Number
N8977V
Operator
Helen K Long
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
ATL83FLA01

Witnesses observed the aircraft a little above the tree tops prior to colliding with a high voltage tension wire. The two passengers (ages 10 & 11) were seated in the right front seat, both using the same seat belt. The surviving passenger stated they had requested the pilot to fly an "up & down flight path" which the pilot had performed on previous occasions to thrill the boys. He also stated that the engine sounded normal during the altitude changes but might have sputtered the last time they were going up. The fuel selector was positioned to the right tank. The right fuel tank was not ruptured. The right wing separated from the fuselage at the wing root and there was no fire damage of the wing root noted although the right wing root was found approximately 8 ft from the fire-ridden cabin area. There was no evidence of fuel spillage in the immediate area of the right wing. The mechanic who loaded the right wing on a truck bed observed approximately 1 pint of fuel spill out of the right wing root. The aircraft's flight path was facing the sun.

Full Narrative

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE ACFT A LITTLE ABOVE THE TREE TOPS PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH A HIGH VOLTAGE TENSION WIRE. THE TWO PASSENGERS (AGES 10 & 11) WERE SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT, BOTH USING THE SAME SEAT BELT. THE SURVIVING PASSENGER STATED THEY HAD REQUESTED THE PLT TO FLY AN "UP & DOWN FLIGHT PATH" WHICH THE PLT HAD PERFORMED ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS TO THRILL THE BOYS. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE ENG SOUNDED NORMAL DURING THE ALTITUDE CHANGES BUT MIGHT HAVE SPUTTERED THE LAST TIME THEY WERE GOING UP. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITION TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS NOT RUPTURED. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE IWNG ROOT & THERE WAS NO FIRE DAMAGE OF THE WING ROOT NOTED ALTHOUGH THE RIGHT WING ROOT WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 8 FT FROM THE FIRE RIDDEN CABIN AREA. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUELSPILLAGE IN THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE RIGHT WING. THE MECHANIC WHO LOADED THE RIGHT WING ON A TRUCK BED OBSERVED APPROXIMATELY 1 PINT OF FUEL SPILL OUT OF THE RIGHT WING ROOT. THE ACFT'S FLT PATH WAS FACING THE SUN.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time16:45 EST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Runway Length0
Runway Width0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireBoth
Aircraft ExplosionBoth

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 172M
Tail NumberN8977V
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorHelen K Long
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-320-E2D · Reciprocating · 150
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 serious injury)
Fatal2
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 67 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind90° @ 5 kt
Visibility7 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 25000 ft
Temperature / Dew Point17 C / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time17:00

Appendix: Source Data