Cessna 172RG N9721B

Summary

On 15 January 1991 at about 16:56 local time, a Cessna 172RG registered N9721B, operated by Gregord McCartney&Dieter Kueck, was involved in an accident near Hayward, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 January 1991 at 16:56

Classification

Accident

Location

Hayward, California, United States

Coordinates

37.6694, -122.0793

Aircraft

Cessna 172RG

Registration

N9721B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gregord McCartney&Dieter Kueck

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Concord → San Carlos

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX91FA074

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS RELATED TO THE PILOT'S IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES AND HIS MISJUDGED EVALUATION OF THE WEATHER IN DAYLIGHT CONDITIONS. ADDITIONAL FACTORS RELATED TO THE PRESENCE OF LOW CLOUDS AND TO THE RESTRICTED VISIBILITY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE 1700 HOUR INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT BETWEEN HAYWARD (HWD) AND SAN CARLOS (SQL) HAVING REPORTEDLY FLOWN THE ROUTE TO WORK OVER 100 TIMES. THE PILOT'S SQL DESTINATION DID NOT HAVE A PUBLISHED INSTRUMENT APPROACH. SO, THE PILOT PLANNED TO EXECUTE AN IFR APPROACH TO HWD AND THEN INITIALLY FLY UNDER SVFR TOWARD SQL. APPROACHING SQL THE PILOT PLANNED TO REQUEST A SVFR CLEARANCE INTO ITS CONTROL ZONE. WHILE FLYING ENROUTE THE PILOT WOULD BE OVER OPEN WATER IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE WHERE ONLY ONE MILE OF FLIGHT VISIBILITY WOULD BE REQUIRED. AFTER EXECUTING THE INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO HWD THE PILOT RECEIVED, AS PLANNED, THE REQUESTED CLEARANCE OUT OF ITS CONTROL ZONE. AFTER RECEIVING A SVFR CLEARANCE INTO SQL'S CONTROL ZONE THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND HE DESCENDED INTO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY. AT THE TIME THE PILOT WAS IN HWD'S AIRSPACE, ITS WEATHER WAS, IN PART: 200 FOOT OVERCAST CEILING AND ONE MILE VISIBILITY IN FOG.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.