Cessna Safety Record

The non-instrument-rated pilot's decision to conduct a cross-country flight over a mountain range in dark night conditions with limited night flight experience, which resulted in a collision with mountainous terrain.

Total electrical failure due to a failed voltage regulator and the pilot’s failure to maintain a proper airspeed during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a runway excursion.

The partial loss of engine power during cruise flight for reasons that could not be determined because a postaccident airframe and engine examination and engine test run revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude while operating over high mountainous terrain, which resulted in an emergency landing after the airplane's encounter with a downdraft.

The local controller's (LC) failure to properly identify the aircraft in the pattern and to ensure control instructions provided to the intended Cessna on downwind were being performed before turning Eagle1 into its path for landing. Contributing to the LC's actions was his incomplete situational awareness when he took over communications from the LC trainee due to the high workload at the time of the accident. Contributing to the accident were the inherent limitations of the see-and-avoid concept, resulting in the inability of the pilots involved to take evasive action in time to avert the collision.

A loss of engine power due to a malfunction of the turbocharging system likely due to contaminated oil. Also causal were the pilot's decision to continue the takeoff although the airplane was not performing normally and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed following the loss of engine power, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the engine manufacturer's inadequate guidance regarding inspection and maintenance of its turbocharged engines.

The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing, resulting in a hard landing, nose gear collapse, runway excursion, and collision with terrain.

The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident was the pilots’ selection, for undetermined reasons, of a route different than the most commonly used route.

The pilot's failure to visually check the quantity of fuel in the fuel tanks in accordance with the Preflight checklist, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the subsequent forced landing.

The pilot's improper management of fuel to the left engine during approach for landing, which resulted in a total loss of left engine power due to fuel starvation, and his subsequent failure to maintain control during the final landing approach, which resulted in collision with terrain.

The pilot’s decision to use an excessive, unapproved flap setting for takeoff, which significantly increased the induced drag and resulted in an aerodynamic stall when the airplane flew out of ground effect.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, and excessive use of brakes, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose over.

A partial loss of engine power during initial climb due to the failure of a magneto. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the airplane without a current annual inspection.