Cessna Safety Record

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PERFORM PREFLIGHT PLANNING IN THAT THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE EXCEEDED. THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF MULTIENGINE CERTIFICATION.

PILOT IN COMMAND'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR ADVERSE WEATHER ADVISORY, WEATHER CONDITIONS (CLOUDS) AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS NIGHT CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S LACK OF NIGHT EXPERIENCE, AND THE PILOT BECOMING LOST AND DISORIENTED.

LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON AFTER THE PILOT TOOK OFF AT NIGHT AND FLEW THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE AREA OF A THUNDERSTORM AND LIGHTNING.

THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT-RATED PILOT TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF AIRPLANE CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT INADVERTENT SPIRAL AND COLLISION WITH THE GROUND. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE; THE PILOT'S LACK OF FLIGHT TIME IN THIS MAKE AND MODEL AIRPLANE; AND HIS OVERCONFIDENCE IN HIS OWN ABILITY.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE FINAL APPROACH RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OPERATION, LACK OF EXPERIENCE AT THE AIRPORT IN THE TYPE OPERATION.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT STALL AND DESCENT INTO TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDING. RELATED FACTORS ARE THE MANUFACTURER'S UNDERTORQUED CRANKCASE HALVES AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE, THE PILOT'S DELAY IN SETTING UP THE PROPER DESCENT RATE, AND THE ALTERED AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE WITH THE SEPARATED PROPELLER ASSEMBLY.

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.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PERFORMANCE PLANNING AND DECISION TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE OVER THE MAXIMUM CERTIFIED GROSS WEIGHT AT A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AIRPORT WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS DURING THE THREE PRECEDING ANNUAL INSPECTIONS WHICH FAILED TO DETECT BROKEN GEAR TEETH FROM A PREVIOUS MAINTENANCE DEFICIENCY WHICH ACCELERATED THE ENGINE WEAR THROUGH FOREIGN OBJECT DAMAGE.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, RESULTING IN FUEL STARVATION DUE TO IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE FUEL SELECTOR. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN UNDETERMINED ELECTRICAL FAILURE, AND LOSS OF FUEL QUANTITY INDICATION.

AN INADEQUATE MAJOR ENGINE OVERHAUL PROCEDURE, DURING WHICH PREVIOUS CRANKSHAFT DAMAGE WAS NOT DETECTED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A SURFACE INITIATED FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT.

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.