Cessna Safety Record

THE PILOT'S MISIDENTIFICATION OF THE AIRPORT AND HIS FAILURE TO SELECT AN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S DISREGARD FOR HIS NIGHT TIME MEDICAL LIMITATION AND LACK OF GEOGRAPHIC FAMILIARITY WITH THE AREA.

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

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE ABOVE TERRAIN WHILE MANEUVERING DURING TAKEOFF. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO DISPLAY THE AIRCRAFT'S PERFORMANCE.

THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY CONTINUING VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE THUNDERSTORMS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLYING PROFICIENCY.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING IN HILLY TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ALTITUDE AND THE SURROUNDING STEEPLY RISING TERRAIN.

THE FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN WITH INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE FOR RECOVERY. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE STUDENT PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT IN BUZZING A RESIDENTIAL AREA, AND HIS LACK OF AERONAUTICAL EXPERIENCE.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, AND HIS FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS AND ROUGH WATER WERE RELATED FACTORS.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING CLIMBOUT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE, AND THE OVER MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT CONDITION OF THE AIRCRAFT.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE LANDING, HER DELAY IN INITIATING A GO-AROUND (ABORTED LANDING), AND HER FAILURE TO REMAIN CLEAR OF POWER LINES ON RISING TERRAIN DURING THE ABORTED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RISING TERRAIN AND THE OBSTACLE (POWER LINE) OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN SHORT FIELD OPERATIONS AT HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND INADEQUATE SURVEILLANCE BY COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT.

FAILURE OF THE #1 PISTON DUE TO PRE-IGNITION/DETONATION IN THE #1 CYLINDER, AND INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOT (HIS FAILURE TO SEE-AND-AVOID THE OBSTRUCTION). THE OBSTRUCTION (POWER LINE) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL/SPIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH, AND HIS FAILURE TO GO AROUND.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING, DECISION, AND HIS INTENTIONAL LOW FLYING NEAR MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S NOT MAINTAINING/FOLLOWING PROPER VFR PROCEDURES, THE RELATED DISTRACTION OF THE OPEN CABIN DOOR, AND THE PILOT'S DIVERTED ATTENTION TO GROUND ACTIVITIES.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES (EXCESSIVE FLAPS); FAILURE TO OPERATE THE AIRPLANE WITHIN THE ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT LIMITATIONS; IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MINIMUM SAFE FLYING SPEED, RESULTING IN A STALL/MUSH.