# Accident 20160421004219A: Cessna Aircraft Co 162, Zionsville, IN, April 21, 2016

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 21, 2016, 16:45 local time
- Place: Zionsville, IN
- Airport: Indianapolis Executive
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.0306° N, 86.2514° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0306&lon=-86.2514&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5217S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5217S-2018-03-27) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 162 (registry code 060005E, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-162) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-200 series (registry code 17402, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-200-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA AIRCRAFT CO 162
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR O-200
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,694 total, 99 in this make and model, 41 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN16LA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA163) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160421004219A

## Narrative

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

ON APRIL 21, 2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 16:45 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME (2045Z), N5217S, A CESSNA 162, IMPACTED TERRAIN AFTER DEPARTURE FROM INDIANAPOLIS EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (TYQ). THE IMPACT SITE WAS APPROXIMATELY ¼ MILE EAST OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO EAGLE FLYERS 1 LLC AND OPERATED BY MONTGOMERY AVIATION FLIGHT TRAINING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE LESSON PLAN FOR THE FLIGHT WAS TO REMAIN LOCAL, STAYING IN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE PILOT IN COMMAND, AN INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, SUFFERED MINOR INJURIES WHILE THE STUDENT PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

THE STUDENT PILOT AND INSTRUMENT RATED COMMERCIAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) CHECKED THE LOCAL WEATHER AND FORECASTED WEATHER. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, METAR WEATHER DATA INDICATED VFR (VISUAL FLIGHT RULES) CONDITIONS AT TYQ, WITH THUNDERSTORMS TO THE WEST. THE CFI DECIDED TO STAY IN THE PATTERN AND MONITOR THE DEVELOPING THUNDERSTORMS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL GARMIN G300?S WITH WEATHER DISPLAY. DURING THE FIRST FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE AIRPORT ON RWY 18 STAYING WITHIN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN. AS THEY WERE MANEUVERING DOWNWIND, THE WEATHER DIMINISHED RAPIDLY. THE CFI STATED WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH THEY ENCOUNTERED A STRONG UPDRAFT AND MILD TURBULENCE, FOLLOWED BY A STRONG DOWNDRAFT AND HEAVY RAIN. THE CFI TOOK THE CONTROLS, ADDED FULL POWER, FOLLOWED BY A LEFT TURN TO THE EAST, IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET IN FRONT OF THE WEATHER. THE CFI STATES THEY WERE IN A DOWNDRAFT WITH HEAVY RAIN, TURBULENCE AND 0-0 VISIBILITY. THE CFI CLAIMED THAT, EVEN WITH FULL POWER, THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT CLIMB. THE CFI STATED THAT THE ONBOARD EQUIPMENT WAS GIVING AURAL WARNINGS OF ?HIGH SINK RATE, TERRAIN, PULL UP? JUST PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTING TERRAIN. THE CFI STATES THERE WERE NO KNOWN MECHANICAL ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT. POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE WAS IN THE ?FULL? POSITION, THE MIXTURE WAS IN THE ?RICH? POSITION, AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS ?OFF?. HISTORICAL WEATHER DATA SHOWS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THUNDERSTORMS PREVAILED.

## 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 CEN16LA163](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA163), Apr 21, 2016: Cessna 162 (N5217S), Zionsville, IN, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor’s improper decision to depart on a local instructional flight in rapidly deteriorating weather conditions, including thunderstorms and hail, which resulted in subsequent impact…

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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