Cessna 172P N53908

Summary

On 20 January 1993 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N53908, operated by Hiser Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Sun City, California, 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

20 January 1993 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Sun City, California, United States

Coordinates

33.7001, -117.1901

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N53908

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Hiser Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Ferry

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Riverside → Rancho

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93FA096

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, THE ADVERSE WEATHER, AND THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS ONE OF A GROUP FERRYING 6 AIRPLANES. A MISSION COMMANDER WAS NOT DESIGNATED; EACH PILOT WOULD 'DO THEIR OWN THING.' ANOTHER PILOT SAID THE CESSNA 172 PILOTS LAUNCHED WITHOUT A WEATHER BRIEFING. THE ACCIDENT PILOT DEPARTED AT ABOUT 0920. APPROXIMATELY 10 MIN LATER, A WITNESS LOCATED ABOUT 300 YDS FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE HEARD THE AIRPLANE CIRCLING A MOUNTAIN '...WAY TOO LOW.' BEFORE IMPACT. THE WITNESS STATED HE COULDN'T SEE BECAUSE IT WAS TOO FOGGY. WITNESSES REPORTED THE VISIBILITY TO BE ABOUT 50 FT IN DENSE FOG. THE OTHER PILOTS SAID THEY ENCOUNTERED LOW CLOUDS AND FOG WHICH CONTINUED UNTIL ABOUT 3 MI NORTH OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. TWO OF THE PILOTS SAID THEY TRIED TO DESCEND BELOW THE CLOUDS TO GET INTO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT BUT TURNED BACK.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.