Cessna 172 Safety Record

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT DUE TO PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS INADEQUATE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED.

INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISIONS BY NOT IDENTIFYING THE WIND DIRECTION ALONG WITH THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND, WIRES AND TREES.

FUEL CONTAMINATION FROM A DETERIORATING PART IN THE CARBURETOR. THE TREES AND IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT BY ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM AN UNSUITABLE FIELD AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND FENCE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL STARVATION AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE OIL STARVATION WAS CAUSED BY THE OIL LEAKING OUT OF THE DRAIN BECAUSE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL FAILED TO INSTALL THE DRAIN PLUG.

THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PREPARATION WHEN HE FAILED TO RECHECK WEATHER CONDITIONS AFTER HE DELAYED TAKEOFF BECAUSE OF THUNDERSTROMS. ALSO, THE PILOT'S POOR INFLIGHT DECISION TO LAND OFF-AIRPORT RATHER THAN RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT.

THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE LANDING, AND THE LOCATION OF THE POWER LINES.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED AND PROPER FLYING ATTITUDE RESULTING IN A STALL MUSH. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE VARIABLE WINDS.

THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO COMPENSATE ADEQUATELY FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND TO RELINQUISH THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO THE INSTRUCTOR. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO LAND AT AN UNLIGHTED AIRSTRIP IN LOW LIGHT CONDITIONS, AND HER SUBSEQUENT, INADVERTENT SELECTIONOF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN BORDERING THE RUNWAY.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS, TO MAINTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: VARIABLE CROSSWIND CONDITIONS AND A SMALL TREE.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING OR TO OBTAIN INFLIGHT WEATHER ADVISORY INFORMATION, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED WHILE DESCENDING IN A DOWNDRAFT.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: CARBURETOR ICING CONDITIONS, NIGHT CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S DECISION TO LAND AT AN UNLIGHTED RUNWAY.

THE PLT FAILED TO DEVOTE FULL TIME & ATTENTION TO FLYING THE ACFT, WITH A RESULTING LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.