Accident Cessna 172N N5315D,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45265
 
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Date:Sunday 16 March 2003
Time:16:01
Type:Silhouette image of generic C172 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 172N
Owner/operator:Twin Ports Flying Service, Inc.
Registration: N5315D
MSN: 17272512
Year of manufacture:1979
Total airframe hrs:8602 hours
Engine model:Lycoming O-320-H2AD
Fatalities:Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Foley, MN -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Superior, WI (SUW)
Destination airport:ST CLOUD, MN (STC)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The airplane was destroyed when it impacted into a harvested agricultural field. The non-instrument rated pilot had received a pre-flight weather briefing and was informed that visual flight rules (VFR) flight was not recommended. Once airborne, the pilot contacted flight service and was given updated weather information. The briefer informed the pilot of a recently released AIRMET (Airman's Meteorological Information) for instrument meteorological conditions and that VFR flight was not recommended. The AIRMET included both the destination airport and the accident site. The weather at the destination airport, 8 nautical miles and 235 degrees from the accident site listed 6 statute miles visibility and an overcast ceiling at 900 feet above ground level (AGL). A weather reporting station 13 nautical miles and 107 degrees from the accident site, recorded a visibility of 7 nautical miles and clear skies. A weather reporting station 23 nautical miles and 188 degrees from the accident site, recorded a visibility of 1 1/4 statute miles with mist and an overcast ceiling at 300 feet AGL. Witnesses reported that the weather at the accident site was cloudy and drizzly. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of a pre-impact defect.
Probable Cause: The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions which led to spatial disorientation and subsequent impact with the ground. Contributing factors was the pilot's lack of instrument rating, the pilot's disregard of the preflight briefing and his failure to follow in-flight weather advisories and a low ceiling.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CHI03FA086
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20030320X00363&key=1

History of this aircraft

Other occurrences involving this aircraft
5 March 1989 N5315D Twin Ports Flying Services,inc 0 Superior, WI sub

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
28-Oct-2008 00:45 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:24 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
08-Dec-2017 18:27 ASN Update Bot Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Source, Narrative]

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