Accident Cessna 172P N53908,
ASN logo
ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 37438
 
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.

Date:Wednesday 20 January 1993
Time:11:30 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic C172 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 172P
Owner/operator:Hiser Helicopters, Inc.
Registration: N53908
MSN: 17274825
Year of manufacture:1981
Total airframe hrs:6430 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-320-D2J
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Sun City, CA -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Ferry/positioning
Departure airport:Riverside, CA (KRAL)
Destination airport:Rancho, CA (F70)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PILOT WAS ONE OF A GROUP FERRYING 6 AIRPLANES. A MISSION COMMANDER WAS NOT DESIGNATED; EACH PILOT WOULD 'DO THEIR OWN THING.' ANOTHER PILOT SAID THE CESSNA 172 PILOTS LAUNCHED WITHOUT A WEATHER BRIEFING. THE ACCIDENT PILOT DEPARTED AT ABOUT 0920. APPROXIMATELY 10 MIN LATER, A WITNESS LOCATED ABOUT 300 YDS FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE HEARD THE AIRPLANE CIRCLING A MOUNTAIN '...WAY TOO LOW.' BEFORE IMPACT. THE WITNESS STATED HE COULDN'T SEE BECAUSE IT WAS TOO FOGGY. WITNESSES REPORTED THE VISIBILITY TO BE ABOUT 50 FT IN DENSE FOG. THE OTHER PILOTS SAID THEY ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT 3 MI NORTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. TWO OF THE PILOTS SAID THEY TRIED TO DESCEND BELOW THE CLOUDS TO GET INTO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT BUT TURNED BACK.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE ADVERSE WEATHER, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX93FA096
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year 1 month
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX93FA096

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
10-Apr-2024 15:55 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description

The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:

CONNECT WITH US: FSF on social media FSF Facebook FSF Twitter FSF Youtube FSF LinkedIn FSF Instagram

©2024 Flight Safety Foundation

1920 Ballenger Av, 4th Fl.
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
www.FlightSafety.org