20050222002569A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172N · Cedar Key, FL · February 22, 2005

Date: February 22, 2005 · 14:23 local
Place: Cedar Key, FL
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N739NK
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC05FA037
Reported as: Cessna 172N
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1

N739NKRegistration cancelled Aug 31, 2006 · Cessna 172NS/N 17270672 · Built 1978 Airframe modelCessna 172N Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

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.

(-23) On February 22, 2005, at 1423 local time, a Cessna 172, N739NK, registered to privacy data omitted was on a personal flight. Visual conditions was present when he departed ocala airport (ocf) enroute to Cedar Key airport (cdk). At Cedar Key, the airport and surrounding area was experiencing IFR meteorological conditions with estimated 1/4 mile in fog. For unknown reasons the pilot of N739NK did not file a flight plan and was operating in these conditions. The aircraft was observed to pitch up to avoid hitting utility lines then enter into a hammerhead stall. The pilot was fatally injured when the aircraft was substantially damaged striking the water and dock.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON FEBRUARY 22, 2005, AT 1423 LOCAL TIME, A CESSNA 172, N739NK, REGISTERED TO ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS ON A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL CONDITIONS WAS PRESENT WHEN HE DEPARTED OCALA AIRPORT (OCF) ENROUTE TO CEDAR KEY AIRPORT (CDK). AT CEDAR KEY, THE AIRPORT AND SURROUNDING AREA WAS EXPERIENCING IFR METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH ESTIMATED 1/4 MILE IN FOG. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS THE PILOT OF N739NK DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN AND WAS OPERATING IN THESE CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO PITCH UP TO AVOID HITTING UTILITY LINES THEN ENTER INTO A HAMMERHEAD STALL. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED STRIKING THE WATER AND DOCK.

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 ANC05FA037Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportCedar Key, FLThe pilot's continued flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an abrupt maneuver to avoid a power line, which resulted in an inadvertent stall, a loss of control, and subsequent collision…Feb 22, 2005 · Destroyed