Cessna 172 Safety Record

THE PILOT INITIATING FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN AN ACCUMULATION OF AIRFRAME ICE AND A FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE EXISTING ICING CONDITIONS.

THE PILOTS SELECTION OF IMPROPER CRUISE ALTITUDE WHILE OPERATING UNDER A LOW OVERCAST ON A DARK NIGHT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS FATIGUE AND LACK OF SLEEP.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALLING SPEED. FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT ARE PREMATURE ROTATION AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE WHILE FLYING OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND PILOT FATIGUE.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUATION OF VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE FOG AND THE DARK NIGHT.

THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE FUEL SUPPLY, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.

PILOT FAILED TO ATTAIN AIRSPEED DURING A GO AROUND, RESULTING IN THE AIRPLANE STALLING AT A LOW ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED TO AIRPORT MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL WORKING NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.

THE INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BECAUSE THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, NIGHT CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING, DECISION, AND HIS INTENTIONAL LOW FLYING NEAR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S NOT MAINTAINING/FOLLOWING PROPER VFR PROCEDURES, THE RELATED DISTRACTION OF THE OPEN CABIN DOOR, AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION TO GROUND ACTIVITIES.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE (ALTITUDE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING VISUAL FLIGHT IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. SELF INDUCED PRESSURE TO ADHERE TO THE PROPOSED FLIGHT ROUTE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WAS A FACTOR.

THE PILOT'S FAILUE TO CONDUCT PROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATIONS, RESULTING IN A TAKEOFF AT 175 POUNDS OVER MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT, WITH FULL FLAPS EXTENDED, AND ON THE IMPROPER RUNWAY FOR WIND CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE BEING UNABLE TO CLIMB AFTER LIFTOFF AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH ELECTRICAL LINES 1,625 FEET BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO AVOID A STALL/SPIN. A FACTOR RELATED RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE MAKE AND MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.

PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT AND INFLIGHT PLANNING, AND HIS DELAYED CLIMB AFTER EXECUTION OF A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE HIS MISREADING OF AIRFIELD WIND INFORMATION, HIS IMPROPER UTILIZATION OF THE FLAPS DURING CLIMBOUT, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RECOMMENDED AIRSPEED, AND THE SUBSEQUENT STALLING OF THE AIRPLANE.

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID ONCOMING TRAFFIC. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE SUN'S GLARE, WHICH RESTRICTED THE VISION OF THE CESSNA 172 PILOT.