# Accident 19961029034399A: Cessna 172L, Culpeper, VA, October 29, 1996

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 29, 1996, 19:28 local time
- Place: Culpeper, VA
- Airport: Culpeper County Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5190° N, 77.8909° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5190&lon=-77.8909&mi=10
- Aircraft: N7737G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7737G-2013-08-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172L (registry code 2072432, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172l) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172L
- Reported engine: LYC O320E2D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 5,400 total, 85 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD97FA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD97FA014) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961029034399A

## Narrative

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

ON LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT, CRASHED.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              (.4) THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT WERE PRACTICING LANDINGS ON A DARK MOONLESS NIGHT, WHEN THE AIRPLANE STRUCK 80 FOOT HIGH TREES, 2,157 FEET FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR (VASI) FOR THE RUNWAY WAS INSPECTED AFTER THE ACCIDENT; THE VASI WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE PROVIDED A CLEARANCE OF 96.51 FEET ABOVE THE TREES AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT THE CFI HAD COMPLETED AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CHECK RIDE ABOUT 30 DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. ACCORDING TO A PILOT INFORMATION FORM DATED 17 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE CFI HAD REPORTED OVER 632 HOURS OF AIRPLANE EXPERIENCE, WHICH INCLUDED 85 HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL. THIS WAS THE STUDENT'S FIRST NIGHT FLIGHT.

## 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 IAD97FA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD97FA014), Oct 30, 1996: Cessna 172L (N7737G), Brandy Station, VA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the certificated flight instructor's failure to ensure that proper altitude/clearance was maintained above the terrain and trees, while on final approach. Darkness was a related factor.

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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