Cessna 172N N4868F

Summary

On 15 September 1991 at about 16:00 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N4868F, operated by Pegasus Flight Center, was involved in an accident near Tererro, New Mexico, 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

15 September 1991 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Tererro, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.7398, -105.6709

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N4868F

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Pegasus Flight Center

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Ft. Worth

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN91FA132

2 people died.

A FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE OBSTACLE CLEARANCE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS WERE: LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE AIRCRAFT, AND INSUFFICIENT STANDARDS BY THE OPERATOR.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS SCHEDULED FOR AN EXTENDED CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT TO GAIN EXPERIENCE. A NEWLY CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT FRIEND ACCOMPANIED HIM. THEY WERE SCHEDULED IN A TYPE AIRCRAFT THEY HAD NOT PREVIOUSLY FLOWN, EXCEPT FOR A LOCAL CHECK OUT. THE FLIGHT WAS PLANNED AND APPROVED INTO AN AREA OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND NEITHER PILOT HAD MOUNTAIN TRAINING OR EXPERIENCE. WHILE MANEUVERING AT AN ALTITUDE 700 FEET BELOW THE SERVICE CEILING OF THE AIRCRAFT, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE AND THEN IMPACTED INTO TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.