MIA92FA158

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 172K · Rockledge, FL · August 2, 1992

Accident · FatalField investigationFinal report
Date
August 2, 1992, 00:18 local (04:18 UTC)
Place
Rockledge, FL
Injuries
4 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
N1196MCessna 172K
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Status
Completed · report May 26, 1993
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19920802028579A
Case key
32992

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

Failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed during the final approach resulting in an inadvertent stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience in the type operation, lack of experience at the airport in the type operation.

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.

Loss of control - in flightApproach - vfr pattern - final approach
Airport facilities,runway edge lights - inadequate
Lack of familiarity with geographic areaPilot in commandFactor
Light condition - dark nightFactor
Lack of recent experience in type operationPilot in commandFactor
Airspeed(vs) - not maintainedPilot in commandCause
Stall/mush - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled
Terrain condition - ground

Analysis

Before the accident flt departed, the plt obtained a wx briefing for the return flight & advised the briefer that there were rain showers at the arpt. The briefer advised the plt they would pass through in 30-45 minutes, then the area would be clear. The plt called again, received a wx briefing & filed a VFR flight plan. The flt departed, and the plt activated his flt plan. There was no further radio contact with the plt. Witnesses near the destination arpt reported hearing an acft make two passes to the south oriented rwy in an attempt to land during the dark night. During the third approach, the acft stalled & crashed aprx 1/4 mile short of the rwy. Flight control continuity was verified. There was no pre-impact failure or malfunction of the eng. Review of the plt's logbook revealed that there was a break in his flying from 7/24/89 to 6/20/92. The last entry logged was a night flt on 7/19/92. The previous night flt was on 7/8/89. In the previous 3 yrs only 1 night landing logged at the destination arpt.

Aircraft

Registration
N1196M
Reported as
Cessna 172K
Category
Airplane
Serial number
17258696
Airframe hours
2,874
Engine
Lycoming O-320-E2D, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Operator
Rockledge Air Park, Inc.
Registered owner
Rockledge Air Park, Inc.
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
Last inspection
100 hour · July 22, 1992 · 41 hours before
Departed
2RR · River Ranch, FL
Flight plan
VFR
Airport
X65 · Rockledge Airpark, runway 18, 2,010 × 45 ft

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
Seat
Left
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
771 total · 718 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
Wind
300° at 4 knots
Visibility
15 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F, dew point 73 °F
Altimeter
30.00 inHg
Observed at
MLB, 25 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.