Pilot Debrief

Cessna 172 near Tyrone, PA — 2019-05-01

Final reportERA19FA161
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Date
2019-05-01
Location
Tyrone, PA, USA
Aircraft
Cessna 172
Registration
N733KZ
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Takeoff roll

Probable cause

The pilot’s continued visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, resulting in controlled flight into trees and terrain.

NTSB narrative

**This report was modified on June 23, 2021. Please see the public docket for this investigation to view the original report.** The pilot was conducting a personal, cross-country flight with one passenger onboard. The pilot received a formal preflight weather briefing, which warned of instrument and marginal visual meteorological conditions as well as mountain obscuration conditions due to clouds near the departure airport and along the airplane’s expected route of flight. Although the pilot had filed an instrument flight rules flight plan for the flight, he advised air traffic control at the departure airport that he would be departing under visual flight rules (VFR). Flight track and weather data showed that, after departure, the airplane proceeded toward mountainous terrain that was likely obscured by clouds. A witness near the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying below the clouds (fog) before losing sight of it behind trees and then hearing the impact. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of any preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the damage signatures displayed by the wreckage and trees surrounding the accident site, it is likely that the airplane impacted trees and terrain in a relatively level, slightly right wing down flight attitude and that the engine was producing power at the time of the impact. Although the pilot held an instrument rating, he did not meet the necessary currency requirements to undertake an instrument flight rules flight. It is likely that, after departing, the pilot encountered deteriorating weather conditions that obscured the mountainous terrain, and resulted in the pilot’s controlled flight into terrain.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
VFR into IMC
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have chosen to depart under IFR instead of VFR given weather conditions.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • ATC audio
  • ADS-B / radar
  • Photos
  • 21 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents21

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