# Accident 20000414040599A: Cessna 172H, Staunton-Waynes, VA, April 14, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 14, 2000, 12:02 local time
- Place: Staunton-Waynes, VA
- Airport: Shenandoah Valley Regional
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2604° N, 78.8203° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2604&lon=-78.8203&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1404F, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1404F-2013-08-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172H (registry code 2072424, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Franklin 6A-350SER (registry code 27023, https://openairdocs.org/engine/franklin-6a-350ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172H
- Reported engine: FRNKLN 6A350*
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 254 total, 188 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC00FA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00FA112) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000414040599A

## Narrative

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

(.4) THE PILOT WAS ON AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN, IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO FLY A HEADING, UNTIL RECEIVING A NON-DIRECTIONAL BEACON, THEN PROCEED DIRECTLY TO THE BEACON. AFTER THE PILOT REPORTED RECEIVING THE BEACON, THE AIRPLANE TURNED TO RIGHT, ABOUT 90 DEGREES, FOLLOWED BY A 180-DEGREE TURN TO THE LEFT. AT THE COMPLETION OF THE SECOND TURN, THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR. THERE WERE NO DISTRESS CALLS FROM THE PILOT. THE GROUND IMPACT POINT WAS FOUND IN THE VICINITY OF THE LAST RADAR CONTACT, AND ACCIDENT SITE EVIDENCE INDICATED AN ALMOST VERTICAL, FINAL DESCENT. ALL FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE ACCOUNTED FOR AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, AND PROPELLER SIGNATURES INDICATED HIGH ENGINE POWER AT IMPACT. THE VACUUM PUMP WAS DESTROYED, BUT INTERNALLY, EXHIBITED ROTATIONAL SCORING AND ROTATIONAL SMUDGING. THE PILOT HAD 254 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT TIME, WITH 53 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME, AND 0.4 HOURS OF ACTUAL INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT'S LAST SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE OCCURRED 4 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.                                                                                                   (-23) AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN FROM WILLIAMSBURG-JAMESTOWN AIRPORT (JGG) DIRECT TO SHENANDOAH VALLEY REGIONAL AIRPORT (SHD). RICHMOND ATC LOST CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT 7 MILES FROM SHD. AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED BY VIRGINIA STATED POLICE HELICOPTER ON BROWNS GAP MOUNTAIN, ELEVATION OF 3398', IMPACTED ON THE SIDE OF MOUNTAIN. THERE WAS NO FIRE, BUT THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. SOLE OCCUPANT, PILOT, WAS FATALLY INJURED.

## 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 NYC00FA112](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC00FA112), Apr 14, 2000: Cessna 172H (N1404F), Grottoes, VA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of control of the airplane in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Factors included the pilot's lack of instrument time under actual…

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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