Cessna 172R N3536C

Summary

On 22 February 2006 at about 14:50 local time, a Cessna 172R registered N3536C was involved in an accident near Mitchellville, Maryland, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 February 2006 at 14:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Mitchellville, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Freeway Airport (W00)

Coordinates

38.4494, -76.7722

Aircraft

Cessna 172R

Registration

N3536C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Warrenton → Mitchellville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC06FA071

2 people died.

The pilot's improper inflight planning/decision to attempt a landing in weather conditions below landing minimums, and his failure to maintain airspeed while maneuvering. Factors in the accident were the fog and snow.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane attempted two Global Positioning System instrument approaches to the destination airport in snow and fog, and descended 200 to 300 hundred feet below the minimum descent altitude of 700 feet each time. After the second approach, the airplane appeared out of the clouds over the south end of the runway, between 200 and 300 feet above the ground, and flew the length of the runway at low altitude. At the north end of the runway, the airplane turned west away from the airport, then circled to the right in a "dramatic" and "nose-high attitude" back towards the runway. The airplane overflew the runway headed south and turned west away from the airport, as engine power increased, and the flaps were retracted. The airplane then entered a steep left bank back towards the airport and "nose-dived" out of view. Seconds later, the sounds of impact were heard. Witnesses at the airport said the clouds were "on top of the trees" and that visibility was about 1/2 mile due to snow and fog. Examination of the wreckage revealed no mechanical deficiencies. Further examination of the airplane and its records revealed that the GPS database was expired, and that the airplane was above the manufacturer's maximum allowable gross weight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.