- Date
- September 21, 1996, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Richwood, WV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N848LFCessna 172P
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 31, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19960921047569A
- Case key
- 28110
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
improper in-flight planning/decision by the flight crew, and inadequate supervision by the check pilot, which resulted in the flight crew's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from trees on rising terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: rising/mountainous terrain.
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
Two pilots and a CAP check pilot were on an instructional flight at a CAP sponsored mountain flying clinic. The left seat pilot was on his first mission at the clinic. The right seat pilot was a CAP check pilot and was providing instruction on contour mountain searches. While flying at about 500 feet below a ridge at 70 knots with 10 degrees of flaps, the occupants noticed that the terrain was rising in front of them. The check pilot directed the left seat pilot to apply full power, climb, and fly straight-ahead. The airplane impacted trees in a wings level climbing attitude and came to rest inverted in the trees.
Factual narrative
History of flight
On September 21, 1996, at about 0945 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172, N848LF, operated by the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) as an instructional flight, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees approximately 100 feet below a ridge line near Richwood, West Virginia. The pilot, CAP Check Pilot, and one passenger were not injured. The local flight originated from Beckley, West Virginia, at 0835. Visual meteorological conditions existed and no flight plan was filed. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot, CAP Check Pilot and passenger stated that the pilot was flying his first student mission at the CAP's Mountain flying clinic. The CAP Check Pilot was in the right seat and was providing instruction on contour mountain searches. They were flying about 500 feet below a ridge, which was on their right. They said they were flying at about 70 knots with 10 degrees of flaps when the terrain began to rise in front of them. The Check Pilot directed the pilot to apply full power, climb and fly straight-ahead and that a turn or wingover would not help. The aircraft impact trees in a wings level climbing flight attitude.
Wreckage examination/documentation
The aircraft came to rest inverted, hanging in the trees 12 feet above the ground. The left wing was separated just outboard of the left wing strut. Both wings and the empannage were wrinkled. No pre-existing damage was noted during the examination.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N848LF
- Reported as
- Cessna 172P
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 172-761-54
- Airframe hours
- 1,705
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-D2J, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Civil Air Patrol, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 4, 1996 · 82 hours before
- Departed
- BKW · Beckley, WV
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,532 total · 161 in this make and model · 1,302 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CRW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.