CHI99LA135

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172M · Mayview, MO · April 26, 1999

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
April 26, 1999, 17:00 local (22:00 UTC)
Place
Mayview, MO
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N220NYCessna 172M
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report June 21, 2000
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19990426044179A
Case key
46160

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

the pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for the attempted precautionary landing. Factors to the accident were the overcast weather condition, inadequate preflight planning by the pilot, the inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and the presence of the fence posts and pole in the selected landing area.

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.

In flight collision with objectLanding
Weather condition - cloudsFactor
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandFactor
Vfr flight into imc - inadvertentPilot in commandFactor
Unsuitable terrain or takeoff/landing/taxi area - selectedPilot in commandCause
Precautionary landing - attemptedPilot in command
Object - poleFactor
Object - fence postFactor

Analysis

The non-instrument rated pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions during the flight. After flying in these conditions for several minutes the pilot elected to descend out of the overcast and execute a precautionary landing. During this time the pilot was not in contact with air traffic control. During the precautionary landing, the airplane struck a barbed wire fence, light pole and ditch embankment. The pilot stated that he received a weather briefing at 1200 cdt and that the weather was not favorable. A weather report for the reporting station located at the destination airport, Sedalia Memorial Airport, Sedalia, Missouri, at 1653 cdt, reported 5 statute miles visibility, mist, an overcast ceiling at 800 feet above ground level, and rapidly falling barometric pressure. The reporting station is located 37 nautical miles and 124-degrees magnetic from the accident site.

Factual narrative

On April 26, 1999, at 1700 central daylight time, a Cessna 172M, N220NY, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage during a precautionary landing on a dirt road 2 miles east of Mayview, Missouri. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot reported no injuries. The flight had originated from the Marshall Memorial Municipal Airport, Marshall, Missouri approximately 1630 and was en route to the Sedalia Memorial Airport, Sedalia, Missouri.

A weather report for the reporting station located at the destination airport, Sedalia Memorial Airport, at 1653, reported 5 statute miles visibility, mist, an overcast ceiling at 800 feet above ground level, and rapidly falling barometric pressure. The reporting station is located 37 nautical miles and 124-degrees magnetic from the accident site

In a written statement, the pilot stated that he contacted flight service approximately 1200 and received a standard weather briefing. The pilot stated that the weather briefer informed him that the weather was not favorable for the intended route of flight.

The non-instrument rated pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions during the flight. After flying in these conditions for several minutes the pilot elected to descend out of the overcast and execute a precautionary landing. During this time the pilot was not in contact with air traffic control.

During the precautionary landing, the airplane struck a barbed wire fence, light pole, and ditch embankment.

A post accident investigation of the aircraft revealed damage to the left wing ribs, left wing spar, right wing tip, nose gear strut, and propeller.

Aircraft

Registration
N220NY
Reported as
Cessna 172M
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17263763
Airframe hours
4,343
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Tim R Reeder
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Annual · October 20, 1998 · 67 hours before
Departed
MHL · Marshall, MO
Destination
DMO · Sedalia, MO

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
43
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
230 total · 200 in this make and model · 15 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
60° at 13 knots
Visibility
5 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
800 ft overcast
Temperature
61 °F, dew point 59 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
DMO, 37 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.