Cessna 172P N5253K

Summary

On 3 May 1989 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N5253K was involved in an accident near Burnet, Texas, 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

3 May 1989 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Burnet, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.7602, -98.2209

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N5253K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Angelo → McGregor

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89FA090

2 people died.

CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS ADVISED BEFORE DEPARTING ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. HE DEPARTED WITHOUT FILING A FLIGHT PLAN. BEFORE REACHING AN INTERMEDIATE STOP, HE OBTAINED AN UPDATED WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE LOCAL AREA AND HIS FINAL DESTINATION. AFTER REFUELING, HE TOOK OFF AND PROCEEDED TOWARD HIS DESTINATION WHICH WAS APRX 156 NM TO THE EAST. A LARGE SLOW MOVING FRONTAL SYSTEM WAS POSITIONED OVER NORTHCENTRAL TEXAS AT THE TIME. THE PILOT'S ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS ALONG THE SOUTHERN BOUNDARY OF THE FRONT. LIGHT DRIZZLE, FOG, AND LOW CEILINGS EXISTED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A DESCENT & CRASHED APRX 63 MI SOUTHWEST OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT AFTER ABOUT 3 HRS & 20 MINUTES OF FLIGHT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND, THOUGH IT WAS BADLY DAMAGED DURING IMPACT. SEVERAL LOCAL PEOPLE STATED THERE WAS LOW CEILINGS, FOG AND DRIZZLE AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.