Cessna 172S N52265

Summary

On 19 September 2016 at about 01:06 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N52265, operated by Air Associates of Missouri, was involved in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and 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

19 September 2016 at 01:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Chesterfield, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Spirit of St Louis Airport (SUS)

Coordinates

38.6622, -90.6519

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N52265

Category

Airplane

Year built

2009

Engines

1

Operator

Air Associates of Missouri

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chesterfield → Chesterfield

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN16LA379

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's unstable approach and subsequent loss of airplane control during an attempted go-around.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The commercial pilot was performing a night visual approach for landing. A witness on the ground, who was a flight instructor, stated that the airplane's approach was "very unstable" and "erratic," and that the airplane's nose pitched up and down as the pilot made "large power adjustments." He stated that the airplane then began a go-around, which he also described as "unstable." The airplane subsequently descended and impacted terrain. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.