Cessna 172C N8358X

Summary

On 11 July 2004 at about 18:26 local time, a Cessna 172C registered N8358X was involved in an accident near Edinburgh, New York, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 July 2004 at 18:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Edinburgh, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Plateau Sky Ranch (1F2)

Coordinates

43.2222, -74.1186

Aircraft

Cessna 172C

Registration

N8358X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Edinburgh → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD04FA031

1 person died.

The pilot's occluded left main coronary artery, which resulted in a massive heart attack and sudden death in flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was completing a circuit in the landing pattern. When a witness saw it, it was about half way down the 2,200-foot runway, about 10 feet above the ground. The airplane appeared as if it was going to land; however, "if [the pilot] had landed, he would've overrun the runway." The witness's view was blocked once the airplane passed by, but he heard the engine running. The witness did not hear any change in the engine's power setting, but subsequently heard the airplane crash. The pilot took no action to avoid trees, that would have been clearly visible and directly in front of the airplane, by either a shallow turn or a slight increase in rate of climb. Initial tree impacts were about 60 feet high, and 350 feet directly beyond the end of the runway. Despite resuscitation efforts for nearly an hour after the accident, the pilot never regained a heartbeat. Autopsy results revealed an occlusion of the left main coronary artery, and there were no injuries noted that would have resulted in an immediate death from impact. A postcrash examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.