Cessna 172 Safety Record

The pilots inadequate preflight planning and his failure to properly compensate for the wind. A factor was the unfavorable wind condition at the time of take off.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE ADVERSE WEATHER, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO A MOUNTAINOUS AREA WHERE HE LOST VISUAL REFERENCE TO ILLUMINATED GROUND FEATURES WHICH RESULTED IN HIS BECOMING DISORIENTED. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE DARK SKY AND LOW CLOUD CONDITIONS; 2) THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO TAKE OFF; 3) HIS IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION; 4) HIS INEXPERIENCE FLYING AT NIGHT; AND 5) THE USAF'S CLEARING AUTHORITY PERSONNEL'S FAILURE TO ADHERE TO ESTABLISHED WRITTEN PROCEDURES WHICH BARRED INEXPERIENCED PILOTS FROM BEING DISPATCHED WITH THE INTENT OF PERFORMING NIGHTTIME CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHTS.

THE PILOT FAILED TO EVALUATE THE WIND CONDITIONS AND TOOK OFF WITH A TAILWIND WHICH RESULTED IN THE COLLISION WITH A TREE ON THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. FACTORS WERE DARK NIGHT AND TAILWIND.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CRUISE AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE TO ENSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, THE DARK NIGHT, AND LIKELY INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AS A RESULT OF HIS ALCOHOLIC AND DRUG IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN WEATHER INFORMATION, THE DARK NIGHT AND EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND DURING A NIGHT LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT MISJUDGING DISTANCE AND SPEED RESULTING A OVERSHOOTING THE TOUCHDOWN, THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION, HIS LACK OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE IN A CESSNA 172, AND HIS FAILURE TO TURN OFF THE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE GO-AROUND.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LIGHT CONDITIONS AT DUSK (OR DARKNESS), AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE FINAL APPROACH RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OPERATION, LACK OF EXPERIENCE AT THE AIRPORT IN THE TYPE OPERATION.

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S OPERATION AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR OBSTACLES IN RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, DIVERSION OF THE INSTRUCTOR'S ATTENTION, AND THE RISING TERRAIN.

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID CONFLICTING TRAFFIC, AND FAILURE OF THE RELIEVING CONTROLLERS TO USE THE RADAR DISPLAY TO IDENTIFY AND SEQUENCE AN AIRPLANE ENTERING THE PATTERN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INADEQUATE BRIEFING BY THE OFF-GOING CONTROLLER, AND INACCURATE POSITION REPORTS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N5279R.

IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (PIC/CFI) IN THE CESSNA 172, HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO AIRPLANES, AND INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS IN THE CESSNA 172.