Cessna 172K N99LR

Summary

On 20 January 2004 at about 02:25 local time, a Cessna 172K registered N99LR, operated by Edward R. Castro, was involved in an accident near Grass Valley, California, 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

20 January 2004 at 02:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Grass Valley, California, United States

Nearest airport

Nevada County Airport (017)

Coordinates

39.2169, -121.0003

Aircraft

Cessna 172K

Registration

N99LR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Edward R. Castro

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Grass Valley → Palo Alto

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

LAX04FA096

2 people died.

the pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain an adequate terrain/object clearance altitude. Also causal was the pilot's improper in-flight decision to return to the origin airport in the face of deteriorating weather conditions instead of diverting to a more suitable alternate.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane collided with trees while attempting to land in IFR conditions of near zero visibility in fog. While en route to the destination airport on an IFR clearance, the TRACON controller observed the airplane's transponder discrete code change to 7600 (used by flight crews to indicate a communications failure). The TRACON controller determined that the pilot could hear them, but they could not hear his transmissions. Because of the requirement for full communications in controlled, Class B airspace, they suggested the pilot contact a nearby airport outside of the Class B airspace on the frequency they provided. The pilot contacted the suggested ATCT while 12 miles west of that airport, and the controller could barely hear the pilot's transmissions. The pilot advised the tower to cancel his IFR flight plan and he would proceed visual flight rules (VFR) back to his departure airport without VFR flight following. This was the last communication from the pilot. Witnesses heard the pilot make two approach attempts to land at original departure airport but they could not see the airplane because the airport had become zero visibility and zero ceiling in fog about 20 minutes prior to the airplanes arrival.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.