Cessna Safety Record

THE PILOT BECAME LOST/DISORIENTATED AND ATTEMPTED A LANDING AT THE WRONG AIRPORT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITION, AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ASSURE THAT THE FLOAT WHEELS WERE RETRACTED PRIOR TO A WATER LANDING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE EXTENSION OF THE LEFT FLOAT WHEELS FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.

THE IMPROPER CALIBRATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN ERRONEOUS FUEL QUANTITY INDICATIONS AND LED TO FUEL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE UNSUITABLE TERRAIN CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE FORCED-LANDING SITE.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO USE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING WEATHER CONDITIONS FAVORABLE TO CARBURETOR ICING. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO DEPART FOR HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT WITH LESS THAN REQUIRED FUEL, AND HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE COMMUNICATIONS RADIO WHICH RESULTED IN HIS CIRCLING THE AIRPORT AND EXHAUSTING ALL FUEL.

STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN OR MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING AN ABORTED LANDING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL/MUSH. HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND THE DITCH WERE RELATED FACTORS.

THE IMPROPER INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANES ENGINE BY THE PILOT/OWNER RESULTING IN FIVE ROCKER BOX COVER SCREWS BEING MISSING AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE OIL DUE TO THE COVER VIBRATING AND CAUSING A HOLE TO BE WORN IN IT. SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO LOSS OF ENGINE OIL RESULTED IN A FORCE LANDING AT WHICH TIME THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES.

A DELAYED BY THE PILOT IN GOING AROUND AND HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED BEFORE FULLY RETRACTING THE FLAPS, WHICH ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO MUSH. THE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE LANDING AND THE TRANSMISSION WIRE.

THE FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE'S CRANKSHAFT, RESULTING IN A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OVER UNSUITABLE TERRAIN. THE PILOT DITCHED THE AIRPLANE BECAUSE HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO SHORE.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE STUDENT PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE TREE AND DITCH IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DUE TO HIS IMPROPER USE OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE MODERATE TURBULENCE AND TRACE MIXED ICING IN CLOUDS.

OIL LEAK IN THE OIL COOLER. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: OIL FILM ON THE WINDSHIELD, WHICH OBSCURED THE PILOT'S VISION (VISUAL PERCEPTION) AND HAMPERED HIS ABILITY TO ATTAIN PROPER RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AN OBJECT (ROCK), AND HIGH VEGETATION BESIDE THE AIRSTRIP.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SEE-AND-AVOID POWER LINES IN HIS FLIGHT PATH DURING A GO-AROUND. THE POWER LINES AND HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRPORT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.