Cessna 172 Safety Record

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND PREPARATION AND HIS DELAYED REMEDIAL ACTION IN EXECUTING A 180 DEGREE TURN. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE, LOW CEILINGS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND RAIN.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN CESSNA 150, N714RS, TO COMPLY WITH THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL CLEARANCE, AND FAILURE OF BOTH PILOTS TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT TO SEE-AND-AVOID EACH OTHER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT OF THE PILOT IN THE CESSNA 172, N128S, DUE TO USE OF DRUGS (CANNABINOIDS), AND FAILURE OF THE TOWER CONTROLLER TO ISSUE A SAFETY ADVISORY.

IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BY THE PILOT WHILE FLYING IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S APPREHENSION TOWARD INSTRUMENT FLYING AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE TIME.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO VISUAL CUES (LIGHTS) DUE TO DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS; THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT SPEED FOR FLIGHT. A FACTOR ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE ABOVE THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT.

VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC AND SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THE OVERCONFIDENCE AND LACK OF EXPERIENCE OF THE PILOT.

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE THE AIRCRAFT'S STALL SPEED AS HE TURNED AWAY FROM ASCENDING TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT'S INADEQUATE PERFORMANCE RESULTING FROM IMPROPER GRADE OF FUEL AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN HIGH ALTITUDE OPERATIONS WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.

THE LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AFTER THE PILOT BECAME SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM WHICH RENDERED THE VACUUM/GYRO INSTRUMENTS INOPERATIVE. ALSO CONTRIBUTING TO THIS FAILURE WAS THE IMPROPER INSTALLATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP BY UNKNOWN PERSON(S).

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

THE PILOT INITIATED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE PILOT'S OVERCONFIDENCE AND THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A STALL/SPIN. EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF AVAILABLE ALTITUDE FOR SPIN RECOVERY WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT AND IMPROPER LIFT-OFF BY THE PIC, THE PILOT/PASSENGER'S IMPROPER CREW COORDINATION REGARDING THE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT HE RECEIVED CONCERNING THE PAYLOAD LIMITATIONS, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED WHILE FLYING OVER RISING TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH WOODED TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE SPARK PLUGS BY THE PILOT/MECHANIC WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CLEAR TREES DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRPLANE CONTROL WHILE ENTERING AN AREA OF TURBULENCE CAUSED BY WILD FIRES ON THE GROUND BENEATH HIS FLIGHT PATH.