Cessna Safety Record

A FAILURE IN THE HYRDRAULIC POWER UNIT, WHICH PREVENTED OPERATION OF EITHER THE NORMAL OR EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEMS. THE RAISED RUNWAY LIP CONTRIBUTED TO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE AND PILOT INJURY.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE A RELATED FACTOR.

PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISIONS. HE FLEW INTO WEATHER THAT WAS KNOWN TO BE ADVERSE, AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ADVERSELY AFFECTED HIS ABILITY TO SAFELY COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL STARVATION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING BACK TOWARD THE LAKE WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE HOUSE & TREES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VISUAL LOOKOUT FOR OBSTACLES. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE LOW (DAWN) POSITION OF THE SUN WHICH INTERFERED WITH THE PILOT'S VISION.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT AND PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER FROM WATER IN THE FUEL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: UNEVEN RUNWAY, PILOT'S IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING, A GUSTY CROSSWIND CONDITION, AND TREES.

FAILURE OF THE NOSE GEAR EXTENSION ASSEMBLY AND THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PRECAUTIONARY LANDING PROCEDURES THAT INCLUDED SECURING THE ENGINES PRIOR TO A POINT WHERE A SAFE LANDING WAS ASSURED.

A GUNSHOT WOUND, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF THE PILOT'S ABILITY TO EFFECTIVELY FLY AND NAVIGATE THE AIRCRAFT, AND A SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.

IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATION BY THE PILOT BY TAKING OFF WITH THE FLAPS EXTENDED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADEQUATE RATE OF CLIMB TO CLEAR OBSTRUCTIONS BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE PILOT'S DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF AND HIS FAILURE IN MAINTAINING AIRSPEED, WHICH REDUCED HIS ABILITY TO FLARE THE AIRCRAFT. THE HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS (TREES) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY WERE CONSIDERED TO BE A FACTOR.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION, WHEN HE ENCOUNTERED LOW CEILINGS OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS INABILITY TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, HIS FAILURE TO USE IN-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING SERVICE, HIS PROBABLE PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT FROM MEDICATION/DRUGS, AND THE TERRAIN AND WEATHER CONDITIONS.

A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO THE PILOT'S INABILITY TO RAISE THE FLAPS WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. THE FLAP FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT FULL FLAP TAKEOFF WERE THE RESULT OF THE OPERATOR'S IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE AIRPLANE AND THE OPERATOR'S USE OF A CUSTOM CHECKLIST THAT DEVIATED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE MANUFACTURER'S APPROVED CHECKLIST. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT THE FLAPS WERE FULLY RETRACTED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, AND THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE INITIAL TRAINING OF THE PILOT.

AN UNDERTORQUED OIL LINE FITTING, DUE TO ITS IMPROPER INSTALLATION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOOSE OIL LINE FITTING, AN OIL LINE LEAK, OIL EXHAUSTION, AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE OF THE ENGINE.

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE SPEED FOR THE TURNING MANEUVER (TO AVOID AN OBSTACLE) AND INADVERTENTLY ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: IMPROPER UUSE OF THE FLAPS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND A HIGH OBSTRUCTION.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH WAKE TURBULENCE FROM THE TRANSPORT AIRCRAFT. THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE WAS CONSIDERED A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

FUEL STARVATION, AFTER THE PILOT DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION TO AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND HIS FAILURE TO REPOSITION THE FUEL SELECTOR SWITCH, EITHER BEFORE THE ENGINE LOST POWER OR DURING EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TRIPPED ALTERNATOR CIRCUIT BREAKER, AND HIGH OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.