Cessna 172M N1169U

Summary

On 17 December 1992 at about 05:31 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N1169U, operated by Hickam Wheeler Aero Club, was involved in an accident near Laie, Hawaii, 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 1992 at 05:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Laie, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

21.6396, -157.9198

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N1169U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hickam Wheeler Aero Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Honolulu → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

Unk

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX93FA068

3 people died.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO A MOUNTAINOUS AREA WHERE HE LOST VISUAL REFERENCE TO ILLUMINATED GROUND FEATURES WHICH RESULTED IN HIS BECOMING DISORIENTED. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: 1) THE DARK SKY AND LOW CLOUD CONDITIONS; 2) THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO TAKE OFF; 3) HIS IMPROPER WEATHER EVALUATION; 4) HIS INEXPERIENCE FLYING AT NIGHT; AND 5) THE USAF'S CLEARING AUTHORITY PERSONNEL'S FAILURE TO ADHERE TO ESTABLISHED WRITTEN PROCEDURES WHICH BARRED INEXPERIENCED PILOTS FROM BEING DISPATCHED WITH THE INTENT OF PERFORMING NIGHTTIME CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHTS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING A DARK NIGHTTIME FLIGHT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO FLY THE USAF AERO CLUB'S AIRPLANE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF THE ISLAND. AFTER COMPLETING ABOUT ONE HALF OF THE TRIP, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE 50 DEGREE UP SLOPE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN, ABOUT 3.5 NM WEST OF COURSE. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE PILOT'S FIRST EXPEREINCE FLYING AT NIGHT AS THE PILOT IN COMMAND. THE PILOT HAD 3.0 TOTAL HOURS OF NIGHT FLYING EXPERIENCE, AND HAD OBTAINED HIS PILOT'S CERTIFICATE 5 DAYS EARLIER. DURING THE PILOT'S PREFLIGHT PREPARATIONS, HE DID NOT REQUEST A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH WOULD HAVE INDICATED THE LIKELIHOOD OF ENCOUNTERING RAIN SHOWERS WHILE FLYING OVER WINDWARD OAHU. THE USAF HAD A PROCEDURE WHICH, IF FOLLOWED, WOULD HAVE BARRED THE PILOT FROM PERFORMING THE FLIGHT. THE USAF CLEARING AUTHORITY PERSONNEL FAILED TO ADHERE TO ESTABLISHED WRITTEN DISPATCH PROCEDURES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.