# Accident 19960921047569A: Cessna 172P, Richwood, WV, September 21, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 21, 1996, 09:45 local time
- Place: Richwood, WV
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2199° N, 80.5309° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2199&lon=-80.5309&mi=10
- Aircraft: N848LF, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N848LF-1997-03-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172 (registry code 2072402, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172P
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD96LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA149) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960921047569A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-16) THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE CIVIL AIR PATROL AND WAS ENGAGING IN PRACTICE SEARCH AND RESCUE MISSIONS WHICH INVOLVED CONTOUR MOUNTAIN SEARCHES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED 500 FEET BELOW A RIDGE LINE. THE ILOT STATES HE NOTICED AN UPCOMING RIDGE. THE PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER AND 10 DEGREE FLAP TO ATTEMPT TO CLEAR THE ONCOMING RIDGE. THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN THE TREES 100 FEET BELOW THE RIDGE. AIRCRAFT LANDED INVERTED 12 FEET FROM THE GROUND, SUSPENDED IN THE TREES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. ALL THREE ON BOARD RECEIVED NO INJURIES. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB IAD96LA149](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD96LA149), Sep 21, 1996: Cessna 172P (N848LF), Richwood, WV, substantial damage. Probable cause: improper in-flight planning/decision by the flight crew, and inadequate supervision by the check pilot, which resulted in the flight crew's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from trees on rising…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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