Cessna 172A N7358T

Summary

On 7 May 1995 at about 19:30 local time, a Cessna 172A registered N7358T was involved in an accident near Colusa, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 1995 at 19:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Colusa, California, United States

Coordinates

39.2705, -122.0507

Aircraft

Cessna 172A

Registration

N7358T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA181

2 people had minor injuries.

the pilot's selection of an inadequate en route cruise altitude for the aerial observation flight, and his failure to identify and stop an inadvertent descent while flying over flooded terrain at a very low altitude. Lack of pilot experience in low level operations and glassy water were factors in this accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ON A SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING WHEN THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO A FLOODED RICE FIELD. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. HE ALSO SAID THAT HE ONLY FLIES ABOUT SIX TIMES A YEAR AND THAT HE WAS SIMPLY NOT ACCUSTOMED TO FLYING AT SUCH A LOW ALTITUDE AND HAD INADERTENTLY FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE GLASSY WATER OF THE FLOODED FIELD.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.