- Date
- January 1, 2018, 19:30 local (Jan 2, 2018, 02:30 UTC)
- Place
- Nampa, ID
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3229VCessna 150
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report March 14, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180101000379A
- Case key
- 96556
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
The pilot’s geographic disoriention during a night flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, after departure in dark night conditions, he became disoriented about two-thirds of the way to his destination airport. He added that he circled over a nearby town for about an hour but was unable to find any visual references to aid in navigation. The pilot then called a family member on the ground, who provided guidance to the destination airport via a phone tracking application. He added that he spotted what appeared to be the destination airport, maneuvered for approach, and during the landing flare, he realized he was not at the airport. The pilot landed on a roadway that was about 6 miles from his intended destination. During landing, the airplane struck trees, landed on a road, veered left, and impacted a light pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, after departure in dark night conditions, he became disoriented about two-thirds of the way to his destination airport. He added that he circled over a nearby town for about an hour, but was unable to find any visual references to aid in navigation. The pilot then called a family member on the ground, who provided guidance to the destination airport via a phone tracking application. He added that he spotted what appeared to be the destination airport, maneuvered for approach, and in the landing flare realized he was not at the airport. The pilot landed on a roadway that was about 6 miles from his intended destination. During landing the airplane struck trees, landed on a road, veered left, and impacted a light pole. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3229V
- Reported as
- Cessna 150 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15076429
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 7,430
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-200-A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 1, 2017
- Departed
- BYI · Burley, ID
- Destination
- EUL · Caldwell, ID
- Equipment
- Stall warning system
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
- 28
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 26, 2017
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 73.3 total · 12 in this make and model · 33.5 as pilot in command · 3.4 in the last 90 days · 2.7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.45 inHg
- Observed at
- KMAN, 2 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 30, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3229V · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.