Cessna 172M N4428Q

Summary

On 24 November 2010 at about 21:15 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N4428Q, operated by Eagle Sky Patrol, Inc., was involved in an accident near Velma, Oklahoma, 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

24 November 2010 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Velma, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

34.8044, -97.9703

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N4428Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Eagle Sky Patrol, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ardmore → Terrell

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN11LA082

1 person died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while maneuvering, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's relative inexperience in pipeline patrols.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had been flying pipeline patrol for approximately 4 months and had no previous pipeline patrol experience. According to witnesses, the pilot was circling and attempting to guide a ground crew to a pipeline leak. He made four complete circles around the leak and, on the fifth circle, the airplane rolled into a hard left turn. The nose of the airplane dropped, and the airplane struck power lines during the ensuing uncontrolled descent. An examination of the airplane’s structure, engine, and systems revealed no anomalies. Recorded weather observations and witness reports indicated gusting wind in the area of the accident site.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.