Cessna 172A N345RB

Summary

On 1 August 1995 at about 19:45 local time, a Cessna 172A registered N345RB was involved in an accident near Chickaloon, Alaska, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 1995 at 19:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Chickaloon, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

61.7396, -148.2191

Aircraft

Cessna 172A

Registration

N345RB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wasilla → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC95LA124

1 person was seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT ENCOUNTER WITH ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN TO COMPENSATE FOR SUCH CONDITIONS. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DOWNDRAFTS, THE PROXIMITY OF MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE WEATHER EVALUATION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE SCOUTING FOR SHEEP IN A REMOTE MOUNTAINOUS AREA AT 5,500 FEET. THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AND BEGAN LOSING ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED. THE PILOT BEGAN A TURN AT FULL POWER, BUT THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND UNTIL IT CONTACTED THE GROUND. DURING IMPACT, THE LEFT WINGTIP STRUCK THE GROUND, AND THE AIRPLANE CARTWHEELED DOWNSLOPE AND CAME TO REST AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 4,800 FEET. PERFORMANCE CHARTS FOR THE AIRPLANE INDICATED THAT IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF A 350 FOOT PER MINUTE CLIMB. THE PILOT REPORTED SCATTERED RAIN SHOWERS IN THE AREA.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.