Cessna 172 accident near Altha, FL
On May 3, 2022, a Cessna 172 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Altha, FL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 3, 2022
- Place
- Altha, FL
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 2 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 30.491°N, 85.112°W
- NTSB ID
- 20220503105040
Official records · ERA22FA218
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn May 3, 2022, about 1700 central daylight time, a Cessna 172, N6413B, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Calhoun County Airport (F95), Altha, Florida. The private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured, and two passengers were seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the airport manager, the flight departed from runway 36 with full fuel tanks. The pilot was in the left cockpit seat and the airplane owner, who did not hold a pilot certificate, was in the right cockpit seat. According to airport surveillance video and witness statements, the airplane lifted off and immediately attained a high angle of attack at a slow speed. The airplane proceeded northbound past the departure end of runway 36 and made a left 270° turn at a low altitude without climbing. The airplane proceeded eastbound and across the departure end of runway 36 and then descended behind a hangar. Afterward, the airplane impacted the ground, and a postcrash fire ensued. The engine was running throughout the accident flight. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot’s logbook was not located after the accident. The pilot reported 575 hours total flight experience on his most recent Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) medical certificate application, dated January 19, 2021. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONF95 had an automated weather observing system that did not issue recorded weather data for distribution. One of the witnesses stated that he observed the airport’s windsock at the time of the accide
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to perform a preflight weight and balance calculation and his operation of the flight at an excessive takeoff weight, resulting in an exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack after liftoff and an aerodynamic stall from which the pilot was unable to recover.
More accidents in FL
- Grumman G-73T, Dec 19, 2005
- Beech B90, Jan 5, 1994
- Beech B-90, Sep 3, 1999
- Cessna 182B, Feb 7, 1982
- Pilatus Aircraft Ltd PC-12/47, Jun 7, 2012
Browse: Florida · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
