Cessna 172M Safety Record

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed in a steep turn and his concurrent failure to maintain adequate altitude, resulting in an accelerated stall at an altitude insufficient for recovery. Factors include the pilot's intentional low altitude flight and maneuvering in an ostentatious display, and the pilot's lack of total experience.

loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), during a low altitude operation. A factor relating to the accident was: the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.

failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance from high/wooded terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, high terrain, and foggy weather conditions. Also, the pilot's use of Methamphetamine (not approved by the FAA) was a possible factor.

the pilot misjudged the landing flare. Factors associated with the accident were the visual illusion caused by the glassy smooth water condition and the forward center of gravity.

an engine malfunction for an undetermined reason, and the pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a forced landing which resulted in an accelerated stall. A factor was the pilot's lack of recent experience.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE MOUNTAINS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE CLOUDS AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REMOVE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE GO-AROUND AND THE PRESENCE OF A TAILWIND.

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control due to spatial disorientation during a moonless night departure over an area without ground reference lights. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of instrument training and experience.

the failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering after takeoff and his failure to retract the flaps prior to departure. A factor in this accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience.

the flying pilot's operation of the aircraft at an altitude that did not provide sufficient terrain clearance necessary to recover from an inadvertent, pilot-induced stall.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE DARK NIGHT AND LACK OF AMBIENT LIGHT WHICH RESULTED IN THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY FLYING FROM VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS; 2) THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND 3) SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE AND PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, DARK NIGHT CONDITION, AND WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDED OBSCURATION, FOG, AND DRIZZLE.

INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS WERE THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, HIS LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME, THE WEATHER, AND THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE TOWER DUE TO DRUG IMPAIRMENT. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LOW ALTITUDE AND THE DAWN LIGHT CONDITION.

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'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.

A DELAYED GO-AROUND, AND PROCEDURES NOT BEING FOLLOWED. FACTORS INCLUDE A LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION, TREES NEAR THE RUNWAY, AND AN UPHILL RUNWAY SLOPE.

INADVERTENT STALL DURING ABORTED LANDING. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND, THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF THE WRONG RUNWAY FOR EXISTING WIND CONDITIONS AND HIS LONG LANDING.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A VISUAL LOOKOUT TO AVOID A WIRE STRIKE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL LOW LEVEL FLIGHT, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE, AND THE TRANSMISSION WIRES.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND DURING AN INTENTIONAL LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT BECOMING DISTRACTED WHILE FLYING OVER THE GROUND AND TO HIS FAILURE TO INITIATE A CLIMB OR TAKE OTHER CORRECTIVE ACTION BY ALTERING HIS COURSE IN A TIMELY MANNER TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE MOUNTAIN.