20080808845479A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172S · Incline Villag, NV · August 8, 2008

Date: August 8, 2008 · 21:00 local
Place: Incline Villag, NV
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N15963
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX08FA261
Reported as: Cessna 172S
Reported engine: Lycoming IO360L2A
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Student
Pilot’s flight hours: 95 total94 in this make and model36 in the last 90 days

N15963Registration cancelled Jul 28, 2009 · Cessna 172SS/N 172S9904 · Built 2005 Airframe modelCessna 172S Engine modelLycoming IO-360-L2AReciprocating

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) Aircraft initially contacted a tree approximately 30 feet above ground level. The right wing separated at that point. The fuselage, left wing and engine continued approximately 1000 feet to ground impact then came to rest approximately 500 feet from initial ground impact. The engine and propeller assembly continued approximately 850 feet further and came to rest against a tree.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT INITIALLY CONTACTED A TREE APPROXIMATELY 30 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE RIGHT WING SEPARATED AT THAT POINT. THE FUSELAGE, LEFT WING AND ENGINE CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET TO GROUND IMPACT THEN CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET FROM INITIAL GROUND IMPACT. THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLY CONTINUED APPROXIMATELY 850 FEET FURTHER AND CAME TO REST AGAINST A TREE.

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 LAX08FA261Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportIncline Village, NVThe pilot's decision to initiate a flight for which he was neither approved nor qualified and his failure to maintain terrain clearance during the flight. Contributing to the accident were the dark night, the mountainous terrain, and the pilot's medical…Aug 8, 2008 · Substantial damage