# NTSB CHI94LA034: Cessna 175, N7112M, Hot Springs, SD, November 10, 1993 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 9, 1993, 19:00 local (Nov 10, 1993, 02:00 UTC) - Place: Hot Springs, SD - Coordinates: 43.429874, -103.479217 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.4299&lon=-103.4792&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 1 fatal, 1 serious, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 18, 1994 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9429 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI94LA034 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9429/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI94LA034 ## Probable cause THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ENSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT AND RISING TERRAIN. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - light condition - dark night (contributing factor) - terrain condition - rising (contributing factor) - altitude - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - inadequate, other crewmember (cause) ## Analysis THE FLIGHT WAS A LOCAL INSTRUMENT PROFICIENCY FLIGHT. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND WAS WEARING VISION RESTRICTING DEVICES. A SAFETY PILOT WAS IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT. THE PILOT HAD JUST COMPLETED 7 INSTRUMENT APPROACHES AT RAPID CITY AND WAS RETURNING TO HOT SPRINGS. A PILOT PREPARING TO TAKEOFF FROM HOT SPRINGS HEARD THE PILOT REPORT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 1, BUT NEVER SAW THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH HILLY, UPWARD SLOPING TERRAIN 3 MI WEST OF THE AIRPORT. NO AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND. ## Factual narrative On November 9, 1993, at 1900 mountain standard time, a Cessna 175, N7112M, operated by the Battle Mountain Flying Club, Hot Springs, South Dakota, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain three miles west of the Hot Springs Municipal Airport, Hot Springs, South Dakota. The private pilot was seriously injured. The safety pilot, seated in the right front seat, received fatal injuries, and one passenger, seated in the rear of the airplane, was not injured. The local personal flight originated at Hot Springs at 1700. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot checked in with Ellsworth AFB Approach Control at 1708 and requested radar service for multiple practice approaches at Rapid City Municipal Airport. The pilot flew seven practice approaches and requested flight following to Hot Springs. Radar service was terminated at 1851 near Approach Control's southern airspace boundary. The airplane collided with trees and upward sloping terrain three miles west of the Hot Springs Airport. The pilot in the left seat was flying the airplane and wearing "foggles" to simulate instrument meteorological conditions. The passenger seated in the right front seat was acting as safety pilot. The pilot stated he doesn't remember anything after terminating radar service with Approach Control. The passenger seated in the rear seat was asleep and said he didn't remember anything until the crash woke him up. A pilot on the ground at the Hot Springs Airport, who was preparing to takeoff on runway 19, reported he heard the pilot of the mishap airplane report on downwind for runway 1 at Hot Springs. He stated he considered aborting his takeoff, but continued after looking to the right and not seeing the airplane. The airplane was reported overdue by the wife of one of the occupants about 2400. Scott AFB reported receiving an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal in the area of the crash site about 2200. The crash site was located by local law enforcement and Civil Air Patrol personnel about 0300. The airplane and engine were examined by Federal Aviation Administration personnel from the Rapid City Flight Standards District Office. No aircraft or engine malfunction was reported. A Garmin GPS 55, global positioning satellite receiver was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Regional Office in Chicago for examination. The last position in the receiver's memory was: 43 degrees, 22.17 minutes N, 103 degrees, 27.59 minutes W. An autopsy and toxicological examination was performed on the fatally injured passenger. The autopsy was performed by D.M. Habbe, M.D., Clinical Laboratory of the Black Hills, 2805 Fifth Street, Rapid City, South Dakota, 57701. The toxicological examination was negative. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N7112M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N7112M-1994-09-22), registration cancelled 1994-09-22, S/N 55412 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 175 - Registry model: [Cessna 175](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-175) (registry code 2072502) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 55412 - Airframe hours: 3260 - Engines: CONTINENTAL GO-300-A 175 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: John T. Blatchford - Registered owner: Battle Mountain Flying Club - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 10, 1993, 45 hours before - Airport: HSR, Hot Springs Muni ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 55; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 601 total, 22 in this make and model, 525 as pilot in command ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 300° at 3 knots - Visibility: 15 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 34 °F, dew point 19 °F - Observed at: RAP, 40 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19931109042539A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19931109042539A), Nov 9, 1993: Cessna 175, Hot Springs, SD, Substantial damage, 1 fatal. Pilot wearing foggles to simulate IFR flight. Flew into trees on rising terrain. Safety pilot evident not aware. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.