Cessna 172P N5394K

Summary

On 7 May 1996 at about 18:35 local time, a Cessna 172P registered N5394K was involved in an accident near Reno, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 1996 at 18:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Reno, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Reno/Stead (4SD)

Coordinates

39.4797, -119.7407

Aircraft

Cessna 172P

Registration

N5394K

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Reno → Reno

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX96LA192

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's failure to obtain and maintain flying speed and a proper glide path, which resulted in an inadvertent stall during a visual approach. An increased altitude illusion created by rising terrain under the final approach course was a factor.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot thought his aircraft was too high as he turned final, but after lowering additional flaps he allowed the aircraft to become too low and slow. When he saw the VASI lights indications he thought that the aircraft might land short. He applied 'some' power but it did not stop the aircraft from sinking. He responded by increasing back pressure in an attempt to increase his glide. He heard the stall warning horn and felt the stall buffet, but did not any more power because he thought that once the aircraft entered ground effect it would reach the runway. The aircraft stalled, landing hard short of the runway threshold. The aircraft bounced and then struck the raised threshold lip with its right main gear. It settled back on runway 26 and then slid to a stop off the right side. The approach was flown over rising terrain which can give a pilot the illusion that the aircraft is at a higher altitude. If not recognized, this illusion may induce him to maintain a higher pitch attitude resulting in a lower airspeed and an increased rate of descent during an approach.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.