Cessna 172N N75644

Summary

On 21 August 1993 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N75644, operated by T Craft Aero Club, was involved in an accident near Lake Fork, Idaho, 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

21 August 1993 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Lake Fork, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N75644

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

T Craft Aero Club

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cascade → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA93FA179

1 person died.

POOR JUDGMENT OF THE PILOT BY FLYING WHILE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL AND A DRUG, HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO AN AREA OF ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE (OR ALTITUDE) FROM MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE HIGH (MOUNTAINOUS) TERRAIN, AND THE LOW CLOUDS/CEILING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AFTER LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REFUELED. WHEN IT WAS IDENTIFIED AS BEING STOLEN, THE PILOT HURRIEDLY RETURNED TO THE PLANE, STARTED THE ENGINE, TAXIED TO THE RUNWAY, & MADE AN INTERSECTION TAKEOFF. AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN CLIMBING NORTH TOWARD MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH A STEEP/WOODED SLOPE IN THE MOUNTAINS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE ACCIDENT. LOCAL PILOTS REPORTED THAT THE MOUNTAIN TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. TOXICOLOGY TESTS OF THE PILOT SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 68 MG/DL (0.068%) IN HIS BLOOD, 89 MG/DL (0.089%) IN INVITREOUS FLUID, & 115 MG/DL (0.115%) IN HIS URINE, AND 0.147 UG/ML OF ALPRAZOLAM IN HIS BLOOD. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE PILOT'S SEAT BELT WAS NOT USED; HIS BODY WAS EJECTED FROM THE AIRPLANE DURING IMPACT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.