Cessna 177RG N35917

Summary

On 30 March 1995 at about 17:30 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N35917 was involved in an accident near Dalhart, Texas, 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

30 March 1995 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Dalhart, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Dalhart Municipal (DHT)

Coordinates

36.0609, -102.5109

Aircraft

Cessna 177RG

Registration

N35917

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Albuquerque

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW95FA150

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND THE ENSUING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE TO REACH HIS DESTINATION, HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE FLIGHT, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT WAS EN ROUTE FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO NEW MEXICO WHEN HE STOPPED AT DALHART ON 03/29/95 AND DECIDED TO REMAIN OVERNIGHT AFTER CONVERSING WITH OTHER PILOTS WHO WERE DELAYING THEIR DEPARTURES DUE TO REPORTED ICING CONDITIONS. HE TOLD A WITNESS THAT HE WAS 'WORRIED ABOUT HIS JOB' AND WAS EXPECTED TO REPORT FOR WORK AT MIDNIGHT THAT EVENING. INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED THE NEXT MORNING UNTIL ABOUT 1000 WHEN THE VISIBILITY INCREASED TO 15 MILES. THE PILOT DID NOT OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING PRIOR TO DEPARTING ABOUT 1015, ALTHOUGH ANOTHER PILOT ADVISED HIM THAT HE HAD JUST DRIVEN THROUGH SNOW ON HIS WAY INTO TOWN FROM THE WEST. APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT CALLED THE DALHART UNICOM AND REPORTED THAT HE WAS CIRCLING THE VOR BUT COULD NOT FIND THE AIRPORT. AFTER RECEIVING DIRECTIONS FROM THE VOR TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS HEADED FOR THE AIRPORT. A WITNESS NEAR THE AIRPORT OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE 'APPEAR OUT OF THE SNOWSTORM', MANEUVER BRIEFLY, THEN ENTER 'A SHARP LEFT BANK WITH AN EXTREME NOSE DOWN ANGLE', IMPACT THE GROUND AND 'BURST INTO FLAMES.'

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.