Cessna 172R Safety Record

The student pilot's failure to see and avoid the private pilot's airplane. Factors included the student pilot's non-standard traffic pattern entry, the private pilot's failure to check for other traffic before turning onto final, and the position of the sun at the time of the accident.

the pilot's improper decision to fly directly up the center of the valley and not circle climb to gain sufficient terrain clearance altitude. A factor was inadequate route performance planning by the pilot.

the pilot's incapacitation due to a heart attack. A factor in the accident was the passenger's, a non-pilot, improper recovery from a bounced landing which resulted in an overload failure of the nose gear.

The failure of both command pilots to maintain an adequate lookout to see and avoid each other's aircraft. Factors associated with the accident were the pilot's failure to follow published advisory procedures to monitor/issue position reports on the appropriate radio frequency, and his lack of familiarity with the geographic area.

the pilot's decision to fly, when he was not in good physical condition; and his subsequent loss of aircraft control due to incapacitation. A related factor was: the pilot's perception of an urgency (pressure) to fly, induced by conditions/events.

the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, which resulted in an inability to outclimb rising/wooded terrain after takeoff. Factors relating to the accident were: failure of the pilot to ensure that the aircraft's gross weight was not exceed for takeoff, high density altitude, the pilot's lack of experience in high density altitude operations, and the rising/mountainous terrain condition.

failure of the pilot to attain adequate airspeed (or abort the takeoff while there was sufficient runway remaining), which resulted in a stall after liftoff and collision with the terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: the pilot's distraction due to events related to incapacitation of an animal aboard the aircraft.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED AFTER A MOMENTARY LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING TAKEOFF, RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/SPIN. THE REASON FOR POWER LOSS COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN/MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED TO CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, IMPROPER TRIM SETTING FOR TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE'S EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE MAKE/MODEL OF AIRPLANE.

The pilot's inadequate preflight planning in that he operated the aircraft at a weight which exceeded the maximum takeoff weight and his improper use of flaps during takeoff.

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S OPERATION AT AN ALTITUDE INSUFFICIENT TO CLEAR OBSTACLES IN RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, DIVERSION OF THE INSTRUCTOR'S ATTENTION, AND THE RISING TERRAIN.

PILOT FACTOR IN THAT HE HAD SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE; VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, DISREGARDING HAZARDOUS WEATHER ADVISORIES, PERFORMING FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND OVERCONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND.

THE PILOT OF THE AIRPLANE EXCEEDING THE CERTIFICATED NEVER EXCEED VELOCITY. THE OVERLOADING OF THE WING ATTACHMENT FITTINGS WHILE MANEUVERING WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES AND HIS MISJUDGED EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER IN DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. ADDITIONAL FACTORS RELATED TO THE PRESENCE OF LOW CLOUDS AND TO THE RESTRICTED VISIBILITY.

THE PILOTS SELECTION OF IMPROPER CRUISE ALTITUDE WHILE OPERATING UNDER A LOW OVERCAST ON A DARK NIGHT. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS FATIGUE AND LACK OF SLEEP.

THE INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL BECAUSE THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. OTHER FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC, NIGHT CONDITIONS.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE (ALTITUDE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE TERRAIN AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

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).

SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT AS A RESULT OF INITIATING THE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARK NIGHT, SNOW, AND LOW CEILINGS.