Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172P near Bennington, VT — 2009-10-25

Final reportERA10FA029
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Date
2009-10-25
Location
Bennington, VT, USA
Airport
DDH
Aircraft
CESSNA 172P
Registration
N55479
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
1
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain during a night approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s non-standard traffic pattern over higher terrain.

NTSB narrative

The pilot entered the traffic pattern at night and was observed flying in a right-hand traffic pattern to runway 13. The Airport/Facility Directory did not direct right-hand traffic for runway 13. Witnesses observed the pilot having difficulty landing the airplane; he was flying too high on final approach and performed at least two go-arounds. The airplane was last observed with its navigation lights illuminated on the base leg as the airplane impacted trees and terrain. Two witnesses stated that the engine was running at the time of impact. The wreckage came to rest on wooded terrain, at an elevation of about 1,082 feet, or about 250 feet above the airport's elevation. If the pilot had flown the same altitude on a left-hand pattern to runway 13, at the same point in the pattern where the accident occurred, the airplane would have cleared the terrain by about 300 feet. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preexisting mechanical anomalies. Inspection of the pilot’s logbook showed no evidence that he had previously flown approaches at the airport.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to land on runway 31 instead of attempting to land on runway 13.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 22 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents22

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