Cessna 172P N52222

Summary

On 19 October 1988 at about 13:14 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N52222 was involved in an accident near Union City, 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

19 October 1988 at 13:14

Classification

Accident

Location

Union City, California, United States

Coordinates

37.5993, -122.0202

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N52222

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hayward → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX89FA018

2 people died.

LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BY THE PILOT WHEN HE INADVERTENTLY ENTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE, DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND FOGGY WEATHER CONDITIONS, INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO IMC UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES, FAILURE TO PERFORM A WEATHER EVAULATION AFTER RECEIVING PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER RECEIVING A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING THAT REPORTED THE SURFACE TEMPERATURE AS 55 DEGREES, DEW POINT AS 54 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT AND A CALM WIND CONDITION, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER TOOKOFF FOR A LOCAL NIGHT FLIGHT NEAR THE BAY. THE SUN RISE AND MOON SET TABLES DEPICT THE SUN AT A -7.1 DEGREE ALTITUDE AND THE MOON AT A -74.5 DEGREE ALTITUDE BELOW THE HORIZON AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. GROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT PASS OVER A WELL LIT STRUCTURE THEN EXECUTE A DIVING RIGHT TURN INTO THE GROUND. FOG WAS REPORTED IN THE VICINITY BY THE WITNESSES. IMPACT FORCES AND POST-CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.