Cessna 177A N3435T

Summary

On 22 January 2012 at about 01:41 local time, a Cessna 177A registered N3435T was involved in an accident near North Vernon, Indiana, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 January 2012 at 01:41

Classification

Accident

Location

North Vernon, Indiana, United States

Coordinates

38.8958, -85.5556

Aircraft

Cessna 177A

Registration

N3435T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake of the Hil → Madison

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN12FA143

2 people died.

The non-instrument-rated pilot's decision to fly into known instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the pilot's spatial disorientation and loss of airplane control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument-rated pilot was conducting the accident flight under visual flight rules (VFR) without a flight plan in dark night conditions. Before the flight, the pilot obtained several weather briefings indicating that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed along his route of flight. Postaccident review of weather and radar data indicated that the airplane descended into instrument meteorological conditions near the destination airport. Based on the wreckage distribution, which was consistent with a high-speed impact, and the adverse weather conditions present at the time of the accident, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and lost control of the airplane. Federal Aviation Administration guidance indicated that spatial disorientation can occur when there is no natural horizon or surface reference, such as night flight in sparsely populated areas similar to that of the accident area and in instrument conditions. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.