BFO93LA156

The pilot reported that he was flying the airplane over climbing mountainous terrain with three passengers on board. The pilot reported that he did not think the airplane's engine was developing enough power to make it to the top of the mountain so he initiated a left 180-degree turn to go back down the mountian's side. During the turn, the airplane lost altitude and the airplane's left wing impacted a tree. The airplane continued to descend through the trees and came to rest inverted. The pilot stated after the accident that there were no indications of an engine problem in the cockpit prior to the accident and he did not think there were any engine or airframe anomalies prior to impacting the tree.

On Saturday, September 4, 1993, at 1240 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N50927, operated by Air Chesterfield Inc., located in Chesterfield, Virginia, and piloted by William Rosbe of Richmond, Virginia, collided with sloping terrain near Smith Mountain Lake Resort, Pembroke, Virginia. The pilot and two passengers received serious injuries. One passenger, seated in the rear left seat, was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot reported that he was flying the airplane over mountainous terrain towards the Smith Mountain Lake Resort at about 3,000 feet mean sea level. The pilot wrote on his accident report form, "About half way up the mountain, traveling at about 80 knots, I concluded that the engine was not developing enough power so that we could safely climb over the top. I slowed the aircraft to 60 knots and turned it in a 30-degree turn to the left to proceed back down the mountain. Within a very short time-probably less than 30 seconds-and about 90 degrees through the turn we struck trees, and the aircraft fell to the ground...." During a phone interview with the pilot, the pilot stated that there were no airframe or engine anomalies noted prior to the collision with the tree.

A witness, located at her home near the accident site, stated that she saw the airplane prior to the accident. She stated, "I heard the plane heading up towards the lake. I thought he was very low, less than 500 feet above the trees. He went behind the trees and I lost sight of him...."

The airplane wreckage was examined by a Federal Aviation Safety Inspector on September 4, 1993. The on scene examination of the accident site revealed the airplane struck the top of a tree with its left wing and continued to descend through the trees in a steep left bank turn. The airplane came to rest inverted. No airframe or engine anomalies were noted.