Cessna 172N N9372E

Summary

On 22 October 1988 at about 03:11 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N9372E, operated by Aeroventure Clubs, Inc., was involved in an accident near Petaluma, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 October 1988 at 03:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Petaluma, California, United States

Nearest airport

Petaluma Muni (069)

Coordinates

38.2098, -122.7599

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N9372E

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aeroventure Clubs, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX89FA022

2 people died.

PILOT USED POOR JUDGEMENT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED V.F.R. FLIGHT DURING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND THAT HE ENCOUNTERED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION WHEN HE ENTERED INTO THE CLOUDS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT TOLD HIS BROTHER THAT HE WAS GOING TO PRACTICE NIGHT TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. IMPACT OCCURRED ABOUT 1/2 MI NORTHWEST OF THE ARPT. NO PRE- IMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT WAS FOUND. WITNESSES RPRTD THE WX WAS FOGGY WITH A LOW CEILING. ONE WITNESS ESTIMATED A 200 TO 300 FT CEILING WITH 1/4 MI VISIBILITY. ANOTHER WITNESS RPRTD THE VISIBILITY WAS LESS THAN 1/2 MI. APRX 20 MI NORTHWEST AT SANTA ROSA, THE 1945 PDT WX WAS IN PART: 2500 FT SCATTERED, VISIBILITY 10 MI. THE THE NON-INSTRUMENT PLT HAD ONLY ABOUT 2 HRS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLT TIME.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.