Cessna 152 Safety Record

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER CLIMB RATE AFTER TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL CUES, HIS HABIT OF MAKING SHALLOW CLIMBS AFTER TAKEOFF, HIS LACK OF RECENT NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND THE TREES.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID N49231, A CESSNA 172. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: A FLIGHT PATH DIRECTLY INTO THE SETTING SUN, AND THE LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS OF DUSK ON THE GROUND BELOW.

EXCESSIVE WEAR OF THE NUMBER FOUR EXHAUST LOBE ON THE CAMSHAFT AND POOR CONDITION (WEAR) OF THE NUMBER FOUR EXHAUST TAPPET. THE SOYBEAN CROP IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE CONDUCT OF THE FLIGHT, FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO ENSURE ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE PRIOR TO INITIATING THE MANEUVER, AND FAILURE OF THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO TAKE TIMELY AND PROPER AND PROPER CORRECTIVE ACTIONS ONCE THE SITUATION WAS FULLY DEVELOPED.

PILOT DISPLAYED POOR JUDGEMENT AND DID NOT ADEQUATELY PLAN FOR THE FLIGHT. THE PILOT WAS UNFAMILIAR WITH THE AREA AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS. AS A RESULT, THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ABLE TO ATTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR THE CONDITIONS TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: EXCESSIVE WORKLOAD (TASK OVERLOAD) AND DIVERTED ATTENTION.

FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, DUE TO CARBURETOR ICE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISON TO LAND ON AN UNLIGHTED RUNWAY DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS. DARKNESS AND THE LACK OF RUNWAY LIGHTS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE STUDENT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION FROM AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL, AND THE STUDENT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHILE MANEUVERING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO VISUALLY INSPECT THE AIRPLANE FUEL TANKS DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION TO ASSURE ADEQUATE FUEL TO CONDUCT THE FLIGHT WAS AVAILABLE.

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT, DUE TO IMPAIRMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE MANEUVERING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE PILOT'S RECENT USE OF DRUGS, AND HIS LACK OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. THE SOFT TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND DUE TO IMPROPER USE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS IN FLARING THE AIRCRAFT FOR LANDING AND COUNTERACTING THE EFFECTS OF THE CROSS-WIND ON THE DRIFTING AIRCRAFT.

LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING DUE TO WIND CHANGE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD ON THE RUNWAY DUE TO IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT AND A DELAYED RESPONSE TO THE BALLOONING OF THE ACFT.

THE PILOT MISJUDGED HIS ALTITUDE, WHILE MANEUVERING AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND DIVERSION OF THE PILOT'S ATTENTION.

THE INADVERTENT STALL OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER ADVISORY, THE UNFAVORABLE WINDSHIFT, AND THE THUNDERSTORM OUTFLOW.