- Date
- November 11, 1991, 20:00 local (Nov 12, 1991, 03:00 UTC)
- Place
- Lake Havasu, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8172ACessna 170B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911111050129A
- Case key
- 27502
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; 1) inadequate preflight preparation, 2) failure to obtain current NOTAM information, and 3) failure to obtain a current altimeter setting. Factors in the accident were the dark night condition and the pilot election not to use the landing light.
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
During a night cross country flight to a new and unfamiliar airport, the pilot unsuccessfully attempted to establish flight following and obtain current altimenter settings. He flew over the airport and entered a traffic pattern. During the trun from base to final approach, with the runway lights in sight, the airplane collided with the terrain one and one quarter miles short of the runway. The pilot did not turn on the aircraft landing light. FAA records indicate the pilot did not receive a preflight briefing. The VFR aeronautical chart did not show the new airport. The old airport elevation is 483 ft MSL, and the new airport is 780 ft MSL. The chart depicting the new airport became effective 3 days after the accident. FAA personnel reported that a NOTAM in effect contained information pertinent to the new airport. After the accident, the pilot reported that his altimeter indicated 1,000 ft MSL.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8172A
- Reported as
- Cessna 170B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 25024
- Airframe hours
- 4,000
- Engine
- Continental O-300-D, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Howard Pl Orlebeke
- Registered owner
- Howard Pl Orlebeke
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 30, 1991 · 49 hours before
- Departed
- PRC · Prescott, AZ
- Airport
- HII · Havasu City, runway 32, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 70
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,663 total · 738 in this make and model · 1,663 as pilot in command · 54 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 360° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.