Cessna 170B N8172A

Summary

On 12 November 1991 at about 03:00 local time, a Cessna 170B registered N8172A, operated by Howard PL Orlebeke, was involved in an accident near Lake Havasu, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 November 1991 at 03:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Havasu, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Havasu City (HII)

Coordinates

34.4892, -112.4405

Aircraft

Cessna 170B

Registration

N8172A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Howard PL Orlebeke

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Prescott → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX92LA044

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S; 1) INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREPARATION, 2) FAILURE TO OBTAIN CURRENT NOTAM INFORMATION, AND 3) FAILURE TO OBTAIN A CURRENT ALTIMETER SETTING. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION AND THE PILOT ELECTION NOT TO USE THE LANDING LIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO A NEW AND UNFAMILIAR AIRPORT, THE PILOT UNSUCCESSFULLY ATTEMPTED TO ESTABLISH FLIGHT FOLLOWING AND OBTAIN CURRENT ALTIMENTER SETTINGS. HE FLEW OVER THE AIRPORT AND ENTERED A TRAFFIC PATTERN. DURING THE TRUN FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH, WITH THE RUNWAY LIGHTS IN SIGHT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN ONE AND ONE QUARTER MILES SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT TURN ON THE AIRCRAFT LANDING LIGHT. FAA RECORDS INDICATE THE PILOT DID NOT RECEIVE A PREFLIGHT BRIEFING. THE VFR AERONAUTICAL CHART DID NOT SHOW THE NEW AIRPORT. THE OLD AIRPORT ELEVATION IS 483 FT MSL, AND THE NEW AIRPORT IS 780 FT MSL. THE CHART DEPICTING THE NEW AIRPORT BECAME EFFECTIVE 3 DAYS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. FAA PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT A NOTAM IN EFFECT CONTAINED INFORMATION PERTINENT TO THE NEW AIRPORT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HIS ALTIMETER INDICATED 1,000 FT MSL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.