Cessna 172F N8835U

Summary

On 25 January 1997 at about 23:25 local time, a Cessna 172F registered N8835U was involved in an accident near Conrad, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 January 1997 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Conrad, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

41.6498, -76.8494

Aircraft

Cessna 172F

Registration

N8835U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

State College → Elmira

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC97FA048

1 person died.

VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and spatial disorientation of the pilot, which led to loss of aircraft control, an uncontrolled descent, and subsequent collision with wooded terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, adverse weather conditions, the pilot's lack of instrument experience, and the wooded, mountainous/hilly terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a telephonic weather briefing from the Altoona Flight Service Station, the pilot stated he intended to fly VFR from State College, PA, to Elmira, NY. The briefer advised that '...VFR was not recommended...' due to mountain obscurations and 'quite strong' winds. A review of radar data revealed the airplane traveled in a northerly direction (at night) with several heading deviations as great as 270 degrees. The en route altitude varied from 3,200 to 4,100 feet. The radar track then depicted a descending right spiral from about 4,000 feet that terminated in the vicinity of the accident site. Subsequently, the airplane collided with trees and terrain along a 2,100 ridge, about 15 miles west of the intended course. Wreckage was scattered about 342 feet on a westerly heading. No preimpact mechanical failure was found that would have resulted in the accident. The pilot had logged about 111 hours total flight time with about 1 hour of instrument flight time.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.