Cessna 172N N739VY

Summary

On 21 August 1994 at about 05:18 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N739VY, operated by Aero Haven, Inc., was involved in an accident near Simi Valley, California, United States. 3 people were on board. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 August 1994 at 05:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Simi Valley, California, United States

Coordinates

34.2993, -118.7200

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N739VY

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Aero Haven, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Palm Springs → Big Bear City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX94LA335

Injuries not recorded.

FUEL EXHAUSTION AFTER THE STUDENT PILOT BECAME LOST/DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE SUPERVISING FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) TO FOLLOW THE FAA APPROVED SYLLABUS, INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR MANAGEMENT, DARKNESS, AND THE STUDENT'S LACK OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT WAS ENROLLED IN AN FAA-APPROVED PART 141 SCHOOL. HE PLANNED TO BEGIN A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AT 1415 PDT, BUT DID NOT DEPART UNTIL 1505. THE FLIGHT WAS TO BE A 3.3-HOUR-LONG ROUND-ROBIN TRIP TO LAUGHLIN, PARKER, BLYTHE, PALM SPRINGS, AND BACK TO BIG BEAR CITY. AT 1927, THE PILOT LANDED AT PALM SPRINGS, BOUGHT 10 GALLONS OF FUEL FOR THE 32-MILE RETURN FLIGHT HOME, AND TOOK OFF AT 1950. EN ROUTE, LIGHT CONDITIONS BECAME DARK. THE PILOT HAD NO NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE AND WAS UNABLE TO TURN ON THE CABIN LIGHTS OR COMMUNICATE VIA RADIO. AFTER FLYING WESTBOUND FOR ABOUT 100 MILES AND 2.5 HOURS, ALL FUEL WAS EXHAUSTED. THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING ON A STREET, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED HEAD-ON WITH AN AUTOMOBILE. THE AUTOMOBILE DRIVER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE PASSENGER OF THE AUTOMOBILE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. A REVIEWED OF THE STUDENT'S TRAINING RECORDS REVEALED THAT HIS INSTRUCTOR (CFI) HAD NOT FOLLOWED THE REQUIRED FAA-APPROVED SYLLABUS. SPECIFICALLY, THE CFI HAD NOT PROVIDED THE REQUIRED INSTRUCTION BETWEEN THE SECOND AND THIRD PHASE CHECKS, AND HE FAILED TO ENSURE THAT THE STUDENT HAD THE REQUIRED NIGHTTIME FLIGHT TRAINING BEFORE ASSIGNING THE SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.