20201114018059A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Mud Lake, ID · November 14, 2020

Date: November 14, 2020 · 11:30 local
Place: Mud Lake, ID
Airport: Mud Lake/West Jefferson County
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N8278B
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR21LA056
Reported as: Cessna 172
Reported engine: Continental 0-300 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Private pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 87 total12 in this make and model18 in the last 90 days

N8278BRegistration cancelled Feb 5, 2022 · Cessna 172S/N 36078 · Built 1957 Airframe modelCessna 172 Engine modelContinental 0-300 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.

Flying at 10,000 ft, preparing to cross a ridge at about 1000 AGL when hit a down draft. Recovery was not possible and impending stall was indicated prior to entering the trees on the mountain side. Aircraft entered trees and was destroyed on impact with ground and rolling down the hill approximately 300 ft and coming to a stop.

As the FAA filed it

FLYING AT 10,000 FT, PREPARING TO CROSS A RIDGE AT ABOUT 1000 AGL WHEN HIT A DOWN DRAFT. RECOVERY WAS NOT POSSIBLE AND IMPENDING STALL WAS INDICATED PRIOR TO ENTERING THE TREES ON THE MOUNTAIN SIDE. AIRCRAFT ENTERED TREES AND WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT WITH GROUND AND ROLLING DOWN THE HILL APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AND COMING TO A STOP.

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 WPR21LA056Accident · Minor injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportHowe, IDThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain after an encounter with a downdraft, which resulted in a collision with terrain.Nov 14, 2020 · Substantial damage