Cessna 172 Safety Record

POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT DUE TO PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS INADEQUATE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED.

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.

AIRCRAFT CONTROL WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND, DUE TO AN IMPROPER LANDING FLARE WHICH RESULTED IN SEVERAL BOUNCES. THE LANDING GEAR FAILED IN OVERLOAD DURING THE BOUNCED LANDING.

INADEQUATE IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISIONS BY NOT IDENTIFYING THE WIND DIRECTION ALONG WITH THE FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE TAILWIND, WIRES AND TREES.

INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE DUAL STUDENT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A FORCED LANDING. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND, CFI, FAILED TO ADEQUATELY SUPERVISE THE OPERATION.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF AN UNSUITABLE AREA (TERRAIN) TO LAND, UNFAVORABLE WIND, & OBJECTS (FENCE & IRRIGATION SPRINKLER).

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED WHILE FLYING OVER RISING TERRAIN, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND COLLISION WITH WOODED TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO REMOVE ALL REMAINING WATER FROM THE AIRPLANE FUEL SYSTEM DURING PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION WHICH LED TO A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY SECURE THE OIL CAP WHEN HE SERVICED THE AIRCRAFT AND OIL STARVATION. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS.

FUEL CONTAMINATION FROM A DETERIORATING PART IN THE CARBURETOR. THE TREES AND IMPROPER MAINTENANCE/SERVICING OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE PROBABLE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE (PRIVATE RATED) DUAL STUDENT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT GROUND SWERVE, AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI). A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITON.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT BY ATTEMPTING TO TAKEOFF FROM AN UNSUITABLE FIELD AND HIS DELAY IN ABORTING THE TAKEOFF. THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS AND FENCE WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

ENGINE FAILURE DUE TO OIL STARVATION AND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE OIL STARVATION WAS CAUSED BY THE OIL LEAKING OUT OF THE DRAIN BECAUSE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL FAILED TO INSTALL THE DRAIN PLUG.

FAILURE TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE INSPECTIONS PRESCRIBED BY THE MAGNETO, ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT MANUFACTURERS. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND TERRAIN CONDITIONS WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

IMPROPER MAINTENANCE OF THE SPARK PLUGS BY THE PILOT/MECHANIC WHICH RESULTED IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO CLEAR TREES DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL.

IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN A SUDDEN ALTITUDE DEVIATION, AND HIS DELAY IN INITIATING REMEDIAL ACTION TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TREES. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE THE DOWNDRAFTS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, THE PILOT DIVERTING ATTENTION, AND THE TREES.

STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT WHICH RESULTED IN THE INITIATION OF A GO-AROUND. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S POOR PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND HIS BECOMING DISORIENTED DURING THE FLIGHT. ALSO CONTRIBUTING WAS THE LOW FUEL LEVEL AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE.

IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT BY CONTINUING THE APPROACH WHEN THE RUNWAY LIGHTS DID NOT ACTIVATE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: DARK NIGHT AND SOFT TERRAIN.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRPLANE CONTROL WHILE ENTERING AN AREA OF TURBULENCE CAUSED BY WILD FIRES ON THE GROUND BENEATH HIS FLIGHT PATH.