Cessna 337E N1201M

Summary

On 2 February 1988 at about 17:05 local time, a Cessna 337E registered N1201M, operated by John F. Higgins, was involved in an accident near Friedens, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

2 February 1988 at 17:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Friedens, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Somerset (2G9)

Coordinates

40.0396, -78.9995

Aircraft

Cessna 337E

Registration

N1201M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

John F. Higgins

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC88FA072

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE 24 YEAR OLD UNLICENSED PILOT MADE AN UNAUTHORIZED FLIGHT IN HIS FATHER'S AIRCRAFT. THE CESSNA 337 WAS OBSERVED TO MANUEVER IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT AT A LOW ALTITUDE IN AND OUT OF THE CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO COME OUT OF THE CLOUDS LEFT WING HIGH AND THE NOSE FELL THROUGH THE HORIZON. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ON THE AIRPORT AND WAS DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. NO PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRCRAFT. WEATHER WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 200 FT VARIABLE 400 FT OVERCAST, 1 MILE VISIBILITY, WITH RAIN AND FOG. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD FLOWN SOLO IN THIS AIRCRAFT AND ANOTHER 337 AND A PIPER CHEROKEE ALSO BASED AT THIS AIRPORT. NO RECORD COULD BE FOUND TO INDICATE THE PILOT HAD EVER POSSESSED A MEDICAL CERTIFICATE OR TAKEN ANY FAA RATING EXAMS. WITNESSES SAID HE HAD RECEIVED FLIGHT INSTRUCTION FROM HIS FATHER, A RETIRED AIRLINE CAPTAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.