- Date
- April 1, 1992, 11:17 local (17:17 UTC)
- Place
- Browntown, WI
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3884RCessna 172H
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 29, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920401007849A
- Case key
- 15286
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
Spatial disorientation and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane. Factors associated with this accident were the snow conditions, an inadequate weather evaluation by both the student and instructor, over confidence in personal ability, inadequate remedial action, VFR flight into IMC conditions, and lack of total experience on behalf of the pilot.
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
The student pilot had been planning to take his long solo cross country flight for a number of days. On the accident date the student obtained a computer weather briefing. The weather for the route of flight was forecasted to have a chance of snow showers. Weather at the departure airport was light snow showers during the time of the briefing and predeparture discussion the student had with his instructor. The student departed on the solo cross country flight during very light snow showers. Approximately 8 to 10 minutes after the student departed on his flight, the instructor called him on the radio. The instructor asked the student how the weather was. The student replied the visibility was three miles. Shortly after this conversation the student called the airport and stated he was lost and having difficulty. The airport manager, a non-pilot, told the student to make a 180 degree turn and return to the airport. A ground witness stated he heard an airplane fly over head two times during very heavy snow showers. During the second pass the witness stated he heard a vacillating engine sound and a loud crash sound. The wreckage was located approximately 30 minutes after the witness heard the engine sounds.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3884R
- Reported as
- Cessna 172H
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-55384
- Airframe hours
- 3,331
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Paul M. Moe
- Registered owner
- Barry F. Heiser
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 7, 1991 · 27 hours before
- Departed
- C33 · Monroe, WI
- Destination
- RST · Rochester, 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
- 30
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 32 total · 9 in this make and model · 12 as pilot in command · 9 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.