Cessna 172M N1883V

Summary

On 24 December 2009 at about 01:43 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N1883V, operated by Thaddeus Fickel, was involved in an accident near Albion, Idaho, United States. One person was 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

24 December 2009 at 01:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Albion, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

42.4119, -113.4681

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N1883V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Thaddeus Fickel

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jerome → Jerome

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR10CA089

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain while maneuvering in gusting winds.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was conducting an aerial observation flight during night visual meteorological conditions. The pilot stated that, as the airplane approached the ridge tops of a mountain range from east to the west at an altitude of about 800 to 1,000 feet above ground level, the airplane rolled uncommanded into a 90-degree left bank. The pilot stated he corrected the roll and regained his original heading. Shortly thereafter, the airplane encountered “another gust” and rolled to the right. The pilot reported that as he was rolling back to level flight he realized that the top of the hill was higher than his altitude and remained in a right turn. He stated that during the turn, the ground became illuminated by the landing light and then the airplane impacted snow covered mountainous terrain and came to rest upright. Examination of the airplane by the pilot revealed that both wings and left horizontal stabilizer were structurally damaged. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation prior to the accident. The pilot further reported that at the time of the accident he estimated the wind to be from the west at 20 to 30 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.