Cessna 152 Safety Record

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ENTER INTO IMC WHILE FLYING UNDER VFR. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO ACCIDENT WERE: LOW CEILINGS, POOR PLANNING AND DECISIONS, FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING AND NOT PERFORMING A WEATHER EVALUATION.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE OVER THE TERRAIN. RELATED FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT, AND HIS LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION (NIGHT FLYING).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

IMPROPER INSTRUCTION BY THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REGARDING THE EXECUTION OF S-TURNS ON FINAL APPROACH TO INCREASE SPACING AND THE RETRACTION OF FLAPS FULLY WHEN EXECUTING A GO-AROUND AND THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE FLYING SPEED WHILE MAKING STEEP S-TURNS ON FINAL APPROACH. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: INADEQUATE ATC CONTROL TOWER SERVICE AND TRAFFIC SEPARATION, IMPROPER SUPERVISION IN THE TOWER, AND INEXPERIENCE OF THE STUDENT PILOT.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AFTER BEGINNING AN ASCENT FROM A LOW PASS, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL & LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. INADEQUATE ALTITUDE TO RECOVER FROM A STALL WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO GAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE PRIOR TO NEGOTIATING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN WITH FORECAST HIGH WINDS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE WEATHER PHENOMENA KNOWN AS 'MOUNTAIN WAVE' WHICH CREATED DOWNDRAFTS THAT EXCEEDED THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE.