Cessna 172P N65737

Summary

On 19 March 1992 at about 15:17 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N65737, operated by Flight International Aviation, was involved in an accident near Accokeek, Maryland, 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 March 1992 at 15:17

Classification

Accident

Location

Accokeek, Maryland, United States

Coordinates

38.6691, -77.0101

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N65737

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Flight International Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Newport News → Washington

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

BFO92FA044

2 people died.

THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

ON AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36, THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR AT 2,500 FT MSL ABOUT 12 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE WAS WEST OF THE LOCALIZER AND WAS BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER. A COMPLETE LEFT 360 DEGREE TURN WAS MADE AT THE REQUEST OF APPROACH CONTROL (ARR). THE PILOT WAS THEN CLEARED TO THE ILS OUTER MARKER. UPON ARRIVAL TO THE OUTER MARKER THE PILOT WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE LOCAL CONTROLLER (LC). BEFORE INTERCEPTING THE LOCALIZER, THE AIRPLANE STARTED AN APPROXIMATE 9.5 DEGREE LEFT TURN AWAY FROM THE LOCALIZER. DURING THIS TURN, ARR QUERIED THE PILOT ABOUT THE AIRPLANE'S HEADING. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE LC BROADCASTED TO THE AIRPLANE AND REQUESTED THE PILOT TO SWITCH BACK TO ARR. THE PAX ACKNOWLEDGED THE REQUEST. THERE WERE NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS BY THE PILOT OR PAX. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL, INSTRUMENT, OR ENGINE FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.