Cessna 172P N848LF

Summary

On 21 September 1996 at about 13:45 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N848LF was involved in an accident near Richwood, West Virginia, United States. 3 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

21 September 1996 at 13:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Richwood, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

38.2199, -80.5309

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N848LF

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Beckley → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD96LA149

Nobody was injured.

improper in-flight planning/decision by the flight crew, and inadequate supervision by the check pilot, which resulted in the flight crew's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from trees on rising terrain. A factor relating to the accident was: rising/mountainous terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Two pilots and a CAP check pilot were on an instructional flight at a CAP sponsored mountain flying clinic. The left seat pilot was on his first mission at the clinic. The right seat pilot was a CAP check pilot and was providing instruction on contour mountain searches. While flying at about 500 feet below a ridge at 70 knots with 10 degrees of flaps, the occupants noticed that the terrain was rising in front of them. The check pilot directed the left seat pilot to apply full power, climb, and fly straight-ahead. The airplane impacted trees in a wings level climbing attitude and came to rest inverted in the trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.