Cessna 172 Safety Record

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO RECOVER FROM A STALL/SPIN. EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND LACK OF AVAILABLE ALTITUDE FOR SPIN RECOVERY WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER LEVEL-OFF, RECOVERY FROM BOUNCED LANDING, AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING THE LANDING. THE PILOT'S LIMITED RECENT EXPERIENCE WAS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR.

A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER ARM PIVOT STUD, WHICH WAS IN TURN CAUSED BY A STUCK EXHAUST VALVE.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND CARBURETOR HEAT DURING A TAKEOFF IN HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF VISUAL PERCEPTION CONCERNING ALTITUDE ABOVE THE WATER.

THE DUAL STUDENT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF THE AIRPLANE'S ALTITUDE AND SPEED DURING THE FLARE FOR LANDING, AND THE IMPROPER USE OF POWER DURING THE FLARE. IN ADDITION, THE CFI FAILED TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE DUAL STUDENT'S ACTION.

WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE FUEL SUPPLY, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY PREFLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: SWAMPY TERRAIN AT THE EMERGENCY LANDING SITE.

THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS, AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WIND CONDITION AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF TOTAL FLYING EXPERIENCE.

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE STUDENT PILOT, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI), AND FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO LACK OF FUEL. RELATED FACTORS WERE: INOPERATIVE LEFT FUEL QUANTITY GAGE, THE CFI'S DECISION TO MAKE THE FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY IN THE FUEL GAGE, AND OBSTRUCTIONS (TREE LIKE CACTUS) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

CARBURETOR ICE DUE TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF CARBURETOR HEAT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: WEATHER CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICE, DARK NIGHT, AND TREE(S) IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.

THE INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION/PLANNING BY THE PILOT REGARDING THE UNIQUE LIGHT FEATURES ON RUNWAY 18 (LIGHTS MOUNTED ALONG THE EAST SIDE ONLY). IN ADDITION THE PILOT FAILED TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK A VEHICLE THAT WAS PARKED BETWEEN THE LIGHTS.

THE STUDENT'S IMPROPER FLARE FOR LANDING. THE CROSSWIND (QUARTERING HEADWIND) AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS AIRCRAFT WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER GO-AROUND PROCEDURE OF FULLY RETRACTING THE FLAPS WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE MUSHING INTO TREES. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: A MISJUDGEMENT OF FLARE HEIGHT ABOVE THE RUNWAY AND FAILURE TO REMOVE THE CARBURETOR HEAT WHICH MAY HAVE PREVENTED THE AVAILABILITY OF FULL POWER.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC), WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL DURING TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE EXCESSIVE GROSS WEIGHT AND IMPROPER LIFT-OFF BY THE PIC, THE PILOT/PASSENGER'S IMPROPER CREW COORDINATION REGARDING THE SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS THAT HE RECEIVED CONCERNING THE PAYLOAD LIMITATIONS, AND THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

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.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT CLEARANCE ABOVE THE GROUND. THE TAILWIND, HIGH OBSTRUCTION (SHELTER BELT), AND DOWNDRAFT WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.