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19981012028939A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna STC172 · Wardboro, VT · October 12, 1998

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

Date
October 12, 1998 · 15:30 local
Place
Wardboro, VT
Phase of flight
Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N1330F
NTSB investigation
NTSBNYC99FA007
Reported as
Cessna STC172
Reported engine
Lycoming O360A1A
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
242 total4 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days
N1330FRegistration cancelled Mar 14, 2000 · Cessna 172GS/N 17254825Airframe modelCessna 172G

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.

Acft crashed under unknown circumstances, 2 POB suffered fatal injuries. (.4)the airplane departed on a 'leaf watching' flight. Afterwards, no one saw the airplane or talked with the pilot. The airplane was found approximately 800 feet below the top of a 3,800 foot mountain. The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate, no instrument rating, and had accumulated 36.3 hours in the previous 18 months. Prior to that, he had not flown for 35 years. A flight instructor described the pilot's abilities as marginal. Weather at the time of the accident was approximately 1,200 foot overcast and 2 miles of visibility. A witness reported the accident site was obscured by clouds. The airplane entered the trees wings level, creating a 3 degree descent path. (-23) a/c departed keene, NH (een) @ approx 1330 LCL for a pleasure flight. Reported destination was glenn falls, NY (gfl). A/c reported overdue @ approx 1900. First ELT pickup was @ 1739 LCL. A/c found the next day @ 0900. A/c hit mountain @ approx 3100' in a level altitude. Mountain peak was approx 3300'. Weather @ een was ov. 2900 & gfl ov 2500.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES, 2 POB SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. (.4)THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED ON A 'LEAF WATCHING' FLIGHT. AFTERWARDS, NO ONE SAW THE AIRPLANE OR TALKED WITH THE PILOT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET BELOW THE TOP OF A 3,800 FOOT MOUNTAIN. THE PILOT HELD A COMMERCIAL PILOT CERTIFICATE, NO INSTRUMENT RATING, AND HAD ACCUMULATED 36.3 HOURS IN THE PREVIOUS 18 MONTHS. PRIOR TO THAT, HE HAD NOT FLOWN FOR 35 YEARS. A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DESCRIBED THE PILOT'S ABILITIES AS MARGINAL. WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,200 FOOT OVERCAST AND 2 MILES OF VISIBILITY. A WITNESS REPORTED THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED THE TREES WINGS LEVEL, CREATING A 3 DEGREE DESCENT PATH. (-23) A/C DEPARTED KEENE, NH (EEN) @ APPROX 1330 LCL FOR A PLEASURE FLIGHT. REPORTED DESTINATION WAS GLENN FALLS, NY (GFL). A/C REPORTED OVERDUE @ APPROX 1900. FIRST ELT PICKUP WAS @ 1739 LCL. A/C FOUND THE NEXT DAY @ 0900. A/C HIT MOUNTAIN @ APPROX 3100' IN A LEVEL ALTITUDE. MOUNTAIN PEAK WAS APPROX 3300'. WEATHER @ EEN WAS OV. 2900 & GFL OV 2500.

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 NYC99FA007Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBennington, VTThe pilot's VFR flight into IMC. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of recent experience, mountainous/hilly terrain, and clouds.Oct 12, 1998 · Destroyed