Cessna 172N N76026

Summary

On 17 March 1990 at about 00:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N76026, operated by Virginia Aviation, was involved in an accident near Bedford, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

17 March 1990 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bedford, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

37.3206, -79.5195

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N76026

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Virginia Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Paintsville → Lynchburg

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO90FA032

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE ABOVE THE TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE, LOW CEILINGS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND RAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING FOR THE FLT DURING WHICH HE WAS INFORMED THAT VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENDED. THE PLT AND PAX DEPARTED PAINTSVILLE, KY, ABOUT 1730 EST. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE TERRAIN IN A HOLLOW OF A MOUNTAIN RIDGE. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. WX OBSERVATION LISTED ABOVE WAS TAKEN 20 MILES EAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ANOTHER PLT STATED THE WX WAS MARGINAL WITH RAIN STORMS NEAR THE MOUNTAINS WHERE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PLT HAD ALREADY TAKEN FOUR DAYS OFF WORK AND WAS SCHEDULED TO RETURN TO WORK ON THE DAY FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.