Cessna 177B N34664

Summary

On 15 November 1992 at about 00:15 local time, a Cessna 177B registered N34664, operated by Litco Brokers, Inc., was involved in an accident near War, West Virginia, 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

15 November 1992 at 00:15

Classification

Accident

Location

War, West Virginia, United States

Coordinates

37.2998, -81.6794

Aircraft

Cessna 177B

Registration

N34664

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Litco Brokers, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Welch → Middlesboro

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO93FA005

3 people died.

VFR FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, AND THE PILOT ALLOWING THE DESIGN STRESS LIMITS OF THE AIRCRAFT TO BE EXCEEDED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, DARKNESS, AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDIITON.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT AND HIS TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED THE AIRPORT DURING HOURS OF DARKNESS. A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS NOT OBTAINED. THE FLIGHT WAS OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND HEAVY SNOWFALL. WITNESSES HEARD THE AIRPLANE OVERHEAD BUT COULD NOT SEE IT UNTIL IT DESCENDED OUT FROM THE CLOUDS IN A 'TWISTING' MOTION. THE LEFT WING HAD SEPARATED IN FLIGHT IN POSITIVE BENDING, FOLLOWED BY THE RUDDER. THE REMAINDER OF THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT 1000 FEET FROM THE LEFT WING. NO PRE IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE PILOT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE AIRPLANE AND DID NOT OBTAIN FLIGHT TRAINING IN IT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.