Cessna Safety Record

1) the pilot's decision to takeoff in an aircraft with a known, yet unresolved, engine performance deficiency, and 2) the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed while maneuvering back to the runway. A factor in the accident was the weld repair of the cylinder head rocker arm boss during overhaul, which led to a fatigue failure of the component.

fuel starvation resulting from the pilot's improper in-flight planning and his failure to correctly monitor the aircraft's fuel system and to position the selector valve on a tank containing fuel.

the pilot's failure to follow procedures and directives regarding the positioning of the fuel tank selector to the fullest tank for the landing portion of flight.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC. FACTORS WERE THE WEATHER, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE FLIGHT, AND THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.

the pilot's improper aircraft preflight inspection, and his failure to use pitot heat during the takeoff in icing conditions, which led to a blocked pitot tube. The blockage resulted in erroneous airspeed indications during the initial climb, which induced the pilot to reduce the aircraft pitch attitude to a point where the aircraft entered an uncorrected descent to ground impact.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE AIRCRAFT PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, IN THAT HE DID NOT REMOVE THE FLIGHT CONTROL GUST LOCK PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT. A FACTOR WAS THE USE OF AN UNAPPROVED, UNMARKED RIVET AS A FLIGHT CONTROL LOCK.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION TO ENTER A MOUNTAIN PASS AT AN INADEQUATE ALTITUDE, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE TO BE EXCEEDED. FACTORS WERE TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS.

the pilot's failure to refuel the airplane during the flight. Factors related to the accident were the inaccurate fuel consumption calculations for the airplane and the fence.

FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO KNOWN ICING CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN AIRFRAME ICING AND AN INABILITY OF THE AIRCRAFT TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE ON THE ILS GLIDEPATH, ONCE THE LANDING GEAR WAS LOWERED. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

POWER LOSS DUE TO THROTTLE LINKAGE DISCONNECT. FACTORS WERE MISSING COTTER KEY, IMPROPER MAINTENANCE, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE WITH THE TREE. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S OSTENTATIOUS DISPLAY.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING TAKEOFF, AND THE SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL AND COLLISION WITH TREES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WINDS.

THE PILOT'S ABRUPT CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE ON SHORT FINAL TO THE RUNWAY, WITH THE FLAPS RETRACTED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE TREES. A FACTOR IN THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO GO FLYING WITHIN 8 HOURS OF CONSUMING ALCOHOL, AT NIGHT, WITH A PASSENGER.

LOSS OF POWER FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, AND THE PILOT INITIATING THE FLIGHT WITH A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE BUILDING AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE WITH TERRAIN. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE UNFAVORABLE WINDS AND THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADQUATE COMPENSATION (PREMATURE CROSSWIND TURN) FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS.