Cessna 172 N7702U

Summary

On 26 November 1993 at about 18:35 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N7702U was involved in an accident near Gadsden, Alabama, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 November 1993 at 18:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Gadsden, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

33.9604, -85.9202

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N7702U

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Birmingham → Albertville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL94FA023

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT PREPARATION AND HIS CONTINUED VISUAL FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WERE FOG, LOW CEILING, AND HILLY TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS POSITIONING THE AIRPLANE IN ORDER TO HAVE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION DONE. NO RECORD WAS FOUND OF A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE FLIGHT. AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE, THE WEATHER REPORTING FACILITY NEAREST THE DESTINATION INDICATED THAT THE CEILING WAS 500 FEET. MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN INTERVENED BETWEEN THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT AND THE DESTINATION. THE PILOT'S LOG INDICATED THAT HE HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN TO THE DESTINATION. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED ADJACENT TO AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY THAT RAN THROUGH A VALLEY BETWEEN TWO RIDGES. THE DIRECTION OF THE WRECKAGE TRAIL SUGGESTED THAT THE PILOT AND REVERSED COURSE, SINCE THE FLIGHT PATH LED AWAY FROM THE DESTINATION. DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE DEMONSTRATED THAT IT HAD COLLIDED WITH ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION WIRES, TREES, AND THE GROUND. LOCAL WITNESSES CONFIRMED THAT THE TOP OF THE IMPACTED RIDGE WAS SHROUDED IN CLOUDS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.