Cessna 172G N4345L

Summary

On 9 February 1995 at about 22:15 local time, a Cessna 172G registered N4345L was involved in an accident near Pope Valley, California, 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

9 February 1995 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Pope Valley, California, United States

Coordinates

38.6704, -122.4393

Aircraft

Cessna 172G

Registration

N4345L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Petaluma → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA101

1 person died.

the pilot's poor judgment to buzz the lake and his inadequate visual lookout.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

GROUND WITNESSES, INCLUDING TWO SHERIFF DEPUTIES, OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLYING OVER THE LAKE AT A LOW ALTITUDE WHILE MAINTAINING A NOSE-LEVEL ATTITUDE. ONE DEPUTY NOTED THE AIRPLANE REGISTRATION NUMBER BEFORE IT STRUCK HIGH-TENSION WIRES THAT SPANNED THE LAKE. THE AIRPLANE PLUNGED INTO THE LAKE AFTER THE COLLISION AND SANK. THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION SHOWED SEVERAL WIRE ARCING SIGNATURES ON THE AIRFRAME AND PROPELLER ASSEMBLIES. THE EXAMINATION ALSO REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.