- Date
- November 26, 1991, 18:30 local (Nov 27, 1991, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- Litchfield, MN
- Injuries
- 4 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N9589BCessna 172RG
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911126053709A
- Case key
- 15274
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Pilot factor in that he had spatial disorientation. Factors related to the accident are; VFR flight into IMC, disregarding hazardous weather advisories, performing flight into known adverse weather conditions, and overconfidence in personal ability by the pilot in command.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Pilot who was not instrument rated attempted VFR cross country flight in IMC conditions. Aircraft and the four persons on board were missing for three days. Aircraft was found crashed into frozen lake half way to intended destination. Pilot got two weather briefings during which he was advised of IMC conditions along his route of flight and at intended destination, and that VFR flight was not recommended.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9589B
- Reported as
- Cessna 172RG
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172RG0902
- Airframe hours
- 3,606
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-F1A6, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Wright Aero, Inc.
- Registered owner
- M & S Aircraft Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 4, 1991 · 45 hours before
- Departed
- STC · St. Cloud, MN
- Destination
- RWF · Redwood Falls, MN
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 269 total · 70 in this make and model · 193 as pilot in command · 19 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- STC, 35 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.