FTW89FA090

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172P · Burnet, TX · May 3, 1989

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
May 3, 1989, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
Place
Burnet, TX
Injuries
2 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N5253KCessna 172P
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed · report July 29, 1992
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19890503010679A
Case key
22769

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

Continued VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain control of the aircraft, due to spatial disorientation. Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions and the pilot's lack of instrument experience.

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 encounter with weatherCruise - normal
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - fogFactor
Weather condition - drizzle/mistFactor
Vfr flight into imc - continuedPilot in commandCause
Loss of control - in flightCruise
Aircraft control - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Spatial disorientationPilot in commandCause
Lack of total instrument time
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

The non-instrument rated pilot was advised before departing on a cross country flight that VFR flight was not recommended. He departed without filing a flight plan. Before reaching an intermediate stop, he obtained an updated weather briefing for the local area and his final destination. After refueling, he took off and proceeded toward his destination which was aprx 156 NM to the east. A large slow moving frontal system was positioned over northcentral Texas at the time. The pilot's route of flight was along the southern boundary of the front. Light drizzle, fog, and low ceilings existed along the route of flight. Subsequently, the airplane entered a descent & crashed aprx 63 mi southwest of the destination airport after about 3 hrs & 20 minutes of flight. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the airplane was found, though it was badly damaged during impact. Several local people stated there was low ceilings, fog and drizzle at the time of the accident.

Aircraft

Registration
N5253K
Reported as
Cessna 172P
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17274032
Engine
Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Registered owner
Gregory A. Gordon
Departed
SJT · San Angelo, TX
Destination
F60 · Mcgregor, TX
Airport
NONE

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
32
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
299 total · 25 in this make and model · 285 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
180° at 30 knots
Lowest ceiling
100 ft
Temperature
-0 °F, dew point -0 °F

FAA reports on this event · 1

The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.