Cessna 172G N3992L

Summary

On 17 December 2023 at about 00:54 local time, a Cessna 172G registered N3992L was involved in an accident near Independence, Oregon, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 December 2023 at 00:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Independence, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Independence State Airport (7S5)

Coordinates

44.8642, -123.2009

Aircraft

Cessna 172G

Registration

N3992L

Category

Airplane

Year built

1966

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

McMinnville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

WPR24FA057

3 people died.

The pilot’s decision to continue flight under visual flight rules into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in collision with an obstacle while landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot and two pilot-rated passengers were returning to their home airport after they were advised by the pilot’s flight instructor not to return due to dense fog that reduced visibility to about 500 ft. During their arrival, the pilot made multiple advisory radio calls that confirmed his intention to land and activated the pilot-controlled runway lights (PCL). Recorded ADS-B data showed that while on the downwind leg, after passing the runway lights, the airplane veered toward the runway centerline as it continued the downwind leg. The pilot then performed a 180° base to final turn and overshot the runway centerline twice. The airplane then flew past the runway threshold and off to the side of the runway, where it impacted a power distribution line support pole about 694 ft from the approach end of the runway threshold. A postaccident fire substantially damaged the airplane. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions of failures that would have precluded normal operation. A weather study confirmed that instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed about the time of the airplane’s arrival. The pilot likely lost his ability to maintain visual reference through the fog during the landing approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.