Cessna K172R N1124V

Summary

On 16 July 1994 at about 14:07 local time, a Cessna K172R registered N1124V, operated by MAD River Airport, was involved in an accident near Tremont City, Ohio, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 1994 at 14:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Tremont City, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Mad River (I-54)

Coordinates

40.0195, -83.8399

Aircraft

Cessna K172R

Registration

N1124V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

MAD River Airport

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Skydiving

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Urbana → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC94FA128

4 people died.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS ASKED BY THE AIRPORT MANAGER TO FLY A PARACHUTE JUMP FLIGHT IN A CESSNA 172. THE MANAGER SUGGESTED THAT THE PILOT MAKE A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF & CLIMB STRAIGHT OUT TO GAIN ALTITUDE. WITNESSES REPORTED THE TAKEOFF AND INITIAL CLIMB APPEARED NORMAL, BUT AT ABOUT 200' AGL, THE AIRPLANE LEVELED OFF, THEN DESCENDED ABOUT 50' AND CONTINUED FORWARD FOR A MOMENT. THE RIGHT WING THEN DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP DESCENT. IT CRASHED ON WOODED TERRAIN ALONG THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF THE RUNWAY AND BURNED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ENGINE WAS PRODUCING POWER. THE PASSENGER DOOR, RIGHT FRONT SEAT, & REAR SEAT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR PARACHUTE JUMPING (LEAVING ONLY THE PILOT'S SEAT), BUT NO RECORD WAS FOUND OF THE NEW WEIGHT & BALANCE COMPUTATION. THE AIRPLANE WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 76 LBS OVER ITS MAXIMUM TAKEOFF WEIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS EQUIPPED WITH DUAL CONTROLS. A JUMPER WAS OBSERVED SITTING AT THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT PASSENGER DOOR (LEANING AGAINST THE REAR DOOR FRAME) WITH HIS LEGS 'STRAIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF HIM, HIS FEET CROSSED AND AT THE VERY OUTSIDE EDGE OF THE PLANE.' DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE, USE OF SEAT BELTS WAS NOT VERIFIED. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST PARACHUTE JUMP FLIGHT AND FIRST FLIGHT WITH THE DOOR REMOVED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.