Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 172K near Elizabethton, TN — 2014-03-18

Final reportERA14LA158
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Date
2014-03-18
Location
Elizabethton, TN, USA
Airport
0A9
Aircraft
CESSNA 172K
Registration
N46603
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
Fatalities
0
Phase of flight
Climb

Probable cause

The pilot’s delayed decision to maneuver around rising terrain, which resulted in a collision with trees and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to calculate the performance requirements needed to climb over mountainous terrain before the flight.

NTSB narrative

The pilot and two passengers were returning home on a cross-country flight. The pilot departed on the accident flight from runway 06 on the left downwind leg with the intention of flying over a mountain range; the airport facility directory current at the time of the accident stated that departures from runway 06 were required to make right traffic, which is intended to provide departing aircraft with adequate clearance from the surrounding terrain. During the climb, the pilot became concerned that the airplane would not clear the approaching rising terrain, so he attempted to maneuver the airplane away from it; however, the airplane subsequently impacted trees and terrain. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preexisting mechanical anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not calculate the performance requirements needed to clear the 3,000-ft-tall mountain peak before the flight. Performance calculations based on data reported by the pilot indicated that the airplane's climb rate was too low to provide clearance from terrain along the pilot's selected route.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Controlled flight into terrain
First missed decision gate
Pilot should have gained more altitude before starting climb over the mountain.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

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

Docket documents12

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