Cessna 172N Safety Record

The student pilot’s premature turn to the crosswind leg of the traffic pattern at low airspeed and altitude, resulting in a collision with trees and terrain.

The total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot’s failure to activate the carburetor heat in a timely manner during the descent.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack during takeoff, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control. Contributing to the loss of control was the pilot’s sudden retraction of the flaps.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during the initial climb after takeoff, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall/spin.

The non-instrument rated private pilot's improper decision to embark on a flight and continue to fly into forecasted instrument meteorological conditions and mountain obscuration while conducting a visual flight rules flight.

The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during takeoff in high density altitude conditions, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, loss of control, and subsequent impact with terrain.

The pilot's loss of airplane control following an encounter with low level wind shear and turbulence during final approach for landing. Contributing to the loss of control was the pilot's decision to retract the wing flaps on final approach, which resulted in a sudden loss of lift.

The pilot's failure to maintain a normal approach path to the runway, which resulted in the airplane colliding with a tree and a house during final approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent flight experience.

The flight instructor's failure to ensure that her seat was properly secured before initiating the takeoff, which resulted in a subsequent loss of control. Contributing was the lack of an installed secondary seat stop.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning and inspection, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate traffic pattern altitude and distance from the runway, which may have allowed the airplane to glide to the runway following the loss of engine power.

The noninstrument-rated pilot's improper decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain.

The partial loss of engine power due to the exhaust valve rocker retaining stud backing out of the cylinder head, which resulted in the exhaust valve being stuck in the closed position. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to configure the airplane and fly it in a manner that would allow him to make the emergency landing in the field rather than overfly it, and the pilot’s failure to have the engine overhauled according to the recommended overhaul interval.

The airplane’s vertical descent into water for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident airplane examinations revealed no mechanical anomalies.

The vehicle driver's failure to verify that the runway was not occupied by an airplane before crossing the runway, which resulted in the vehicle being struck by a departing airplane, and the pilot's continued takeoff with flight control damage, which subsequently resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin at low altitude.