Cessna 172M N23459

Summary

On 3 August 1993 at about 11:21 local time, a Cessna 172M registered N23459 was involved in an accident near Clines Corners, New Mexico, 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

3 August 1993 at 11:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Clines Corners, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.0209, -105.7799

Aircraft

Cessna 172M

Registration

N23459

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Amarillo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

DEN93FA097

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A SAFE AND PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING, DARK NIGHT CONDITION, AND WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT INCLUDED OBSCURATION, FOG, AND DRIZZLE.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT LEFT HIS HOME AT 0400 WITH THE INTENTION OF FLYING TO ARKANSAS, WITH AN EN ROUTE STOP AT AMARILLO, TX. RADAR DATA SHOWED A VFR TARGET IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE AT 0505 AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 9,500 FEET. THE TARGET WAS TRACKED TO THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE WHEN, AT 0521 AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF 8,200 FEET, IT DISAPPEARED. A RANCHER FOUND THE WRECKAGE AT 0730. HE TOLD STATE POLICE OFFICIALS THAT AT THE TIME, IT WAS STILL DARK AND THERE WAS A HEAVY FOG AND A LIGHT MIST OR DRIZZLE FALLING. VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1/4-MILE, AND THESE CONDITIONS HAD EXISTED FOR SEVERAL HOURS. THE PILOT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED, BUT THERE IS NO RECORD OF HIS OBTAINING A WEATHER BRIEFING OR FILING A FLIGHT PLAN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.