Cessna 150H N7248S

Summary

On 20 January 1991 at about 03:30 local time, a Cessna 150H registered N7248S, operated by Mark A. Smithback, was involved in an accident near Mancos, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

20 January 1991 at 03:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mancos, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

37.3401, -108.2900

Aircraft

Cessna 150H

Registration

N7248S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Mark A. Smithback

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cortez → Durango

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DEN91FA034

1 person died.

FAILURE OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES AND DIRECTIVES BY CONTINUING THE FLIGHT AT NIGHT AND SUBSEQUENTLY ENCOUNTERING ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE STUDENT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT WAS INSTRUCTED TO FLY A PREPLANNED CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO PAGE, ARIZONA, AND RETURN TO DURANGO, COLORADO, BEFORE SUNSET. HE BECAME LOST AND LANDED AT CORTEZ, COLORADO. INSTEAD OF TERMINATING THE FLIGHT, HE ELECTED TO TAKEOFF AT NIGHT AND CONTINUE. SUBSEQUENTLY, HE FLEW INTO SNOW SHOWERS, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED ON THE WEST SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, WHILE ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.