Cessna 172 N4253L

Summary

On 11 April 1994 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N4253L, operated by Edward D. Vanreeth, was involved in an accident near Edina, Missouri, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 April 1994 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Edina, Missouri, United States

Coordinates

40.1603, -92.1705

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N4253L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Edward D. Vanreeth

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pella → Morris

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI94LA131

Nobody was injured.

the pilot in commands' failure to obtain obstruction clearance from trees during a visual takeoff from a short, soft, wet field in instrument meteorological conditions. A factor was the pilot in commands' misjudgment of the takeoff climb performance of the airplane, which resulted in striking trees at the departure end of the field. A second factor was the operation of the airplane with a known defective wet compass, which resulted in the pilot's disorientation and led him to land in the unsuitable field.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT IN COMMAND KNOWLINGLY DEPARTED ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH AN INOPERATIVE WET COMPASS, SET HIS DIRECTIONAL GYRO 90 DEGREES OFF IN FLIGHT, AND BECAME DISORIENTED IN DETERIORATING WEATHER. HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A SHORT, SOFT, WET SOD FIELD TO FIND OUT HIS LOCATION, THEN TOOK OFF AGAIN WITH WEATHER ESTIMATED AT 800 FT OVERCAST, 2 MILES IN RAIN. DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB, IN CONTROLLED FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES AT THE DEPARTURE END OF FIELD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.