Cessna 172N Safety Record

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT OF THE HAWK BM-4, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE CESSNA 172. THE BM-4 PILOT'S NON-STANDARD PROCEDURE FOR ENTERING THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

the pilot's decision to continue VFR at an improper altitude into mountainous terrain at night and the inadvertent encounter with clouds along the route. Self-induced pressure due to a low fuel state contributed to the accident.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN AIRSPEED ABOVE STALLING SPEED (VS), AND HIS INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION. FACTORS INCLUDE THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION, AND AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN.

POOR JUDGMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL AND A DRUG, HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE (OR ALTITUDE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH (MOUNTAINOUS) TERRAIN, AND THE LOW CLOUDS/CEILING.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE (OR CLEARANCE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE LOW CEILING, FOG, DRIZZLE, OBSCURATION, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CRUISE AT AN ALTITUDE INADEQUATE TO ENSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, THE DARK NIGHT, AND LIKELY INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRPLANES, WHICH RESULTED IN THEIR FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID CONFLICTING TRAFFIC, AND FAILURE OF THE RELIEVING CONTROLLERS TO USE THE RADAR DISPLAY TO IDENTIFY AND SEQUENCE AN AIRPLANE ENTERING THE PATTERN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN INADEQUATE BRIEFING BY THE OFF-GOING CONTROLLER, AND INACCURATE POSITION REPORTS BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND OF N5279R.

IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (PIC/CFI) IN THE CESSNA 172, HIS MISJUDGEMENT OF DISTANCE BETWEEN THE TWO AIRPLANES, AND INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY BOTH PILOTS IN THE CESSNA 172.

FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL BY THE PILOT IN COMMND. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, A BLOCKED PITOT STATIC SYSTEM, LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE IN TYPE OF OPERATION, AND LACK OF TOTAL EXPEREINCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE DURING A LOW PASS AT NIGHT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S LIKELY SPATIAL DISORIENTATION DUE TO THE LACK OF SURFACE VISUAL CLUES, THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS, AND THE PATCHY FOG CONDITIONS.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S OPERATION AT TOO LOW AN ALTITUDE OVER THE RIVER AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINES. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WIRES CROSSING THE RIVER AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN CHOOSING TO OPERATE AT LOW ALTITUDES ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT.

A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE OBSTACLE CLEARANCE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE: LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, AND INSUFFICIENT STANDARDS BY THE OPERATOR.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION, HIS ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT INTO IFR CONDITIONS, AND HIS SUBSEQUENT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE FOGGY, LOW CEILING CONDITIONS ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE AND/OR CLEARANCE FROM THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

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