Cessna 152 N714XN

Summary

On 1 January 1993 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 152 registered N714XN, operated by Ron's Aircraft Service, was involved in an accident near Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 January 1993 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Triple W Airpark (5W5)

Coordinates

35.5395, -78.8308

Aircraft

Cessna 152

Registration

N714XN

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ron's Aircraft Service

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

N. Myrtle Beach → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

ATL93LA045

1 person had minor injuries.

THE POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN ALLOWING HIS STUDENT TO RETURN FROM A CROSS COUNTRY AT NIGHT, AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN A PROPER ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH. FACTORS WERE THE DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS, THE TREES BELOW THE FINAL APPROACH PATH, THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO UTILIZE THE AIRCRAFT LANDING LIGHT, AND THE STUDENT PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN NIGHT FLYING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT HAD PLANNED A SOLO CROSS COUNTRY IN PREPARATION FOR THE PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE. WHEN HE REACHED HIS FIRST DESTINATION AIRPORT, HE COULD NOT OBTAIN FUEL BECAUSE OF THE NEW YEARS HOLIDAY. HE FLEW TO ANOTHER NEARBY AIRPORT, AND HE COULD NOT OBTAIN FUEL THERE EITHER. FINALLY HE WAS ABLE TO LOCATE AN OPEN FBO AND PROCEEDED THERE FOR FUEL. HE INFORMED HIS INSTRUCTOR VIA TELEPHONE THAT HE HAD BEEN DELAYED AND ASKED FOR SOMEONE TO FLY DOWN AND PICK HIM UP, SINCE HE MIGHT NOT MAKE IT BACK PRIOR TO SUNSET. THE INSTRUCTOR TOLD HIM TO FUEL THE AIRPLANE AND RETURN HOME. DURING THE RETURN LEG, IT BECAME DARK. WHILE ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES LOCATED UNDER THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. THE PILOT LATER REPORTED THAT HE NEVER SAW THE TREES, AND HE FAILED TO UTILIZE THE AIRCRAFT LANDING LIGHT. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 57 HOURS, INCLUDING 3 AT HOURS AT NIGHT. HIS PREVIOUS NIGHT FLIGHT WAS FLOWN 5 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.