19970919027599A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 177RG · Sebring, FL · September 19, 1997

Date: September 19, 1997 · 19:31 local
Place: Sebring, FL
Airport: Wolf Lake
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N2562V
NTSB investigation: NTSBMIA97FA249
Reported as: Cessna 177RG
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360A1B6
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 340 total52 in this make and model130 in the last 90 days

N2562VRegistration cancelled Jul 21, 1999 · Cessna 177RGS/N 177RG0616 Airframe modelCessna 177RG Engine modelLycoming IO-360-A1B6DReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Appears entered area of thunderstorms. Observed dive into a lake. Newly obtained IFR rating. Possible vertigo. (-23) IFR crashed into lake after ATC lost radar and radio contact. T2'S in area. Airman was recently certificated as an instrument rated pilot he operated his aircraft into a severe thunderstorm while on an IFR plan. Aircraft arrived at scene of accident intact, with the engine generating power.

As the FAA filed it

APPEARS ENTERED AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS. OBSERVED DIVE INTO A LAKE. NEWLY OBTAINED IFR RATING. POSSIBLE VERTIGO. (-23) IFR CRASHED INTO LAKE AFTER ATC LOST RADAR AND RADIO CONTACT. T2'S IN AREA. AIRMAN WAS RECENTLY CERTIFICATED AS AN INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT HE OPERATED HIS AIRCRAFT INTO A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WHILE ON AN IFR PLAN. AIRCRAFT ARRIVED AT SCENE OF ACCIDENT INTACT, WITH THE ENGINE GENERATING POWER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB MIA97FA249Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportSebring, FLcontinued flight by the pilot into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain aircraft control, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent until impact in a lake. The adverse weather condition (thunderstorm) was a related factor.Sep 19, 1997 · Destroyed