Cessna 172R N156RA

Summary

On 6 January 2000 at about 02:46 local time, a Cessna 172R registered N156RA was involved in an accident near Atlantic Ocean, 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

6 January 2000 at 02:46

Classification

Accident

Location

Atlantic Ocean, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 172R

Registration

N156RA

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Orlando → Jacksonville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA00FA064

1 person died.

The pilot's lack of total experience in instrument flight, simulated instrument flight, and night flight resulting in the pilot becoming spatially disoriented, and subsequent in-flight collision with water. Contributing to the accident was the dark night with no visible horizon.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The noninstrument-rated private pilot was on a night solo cross-country flight at 2,600 feet in radio contact with Jacksonville approach. The airplane was subsequently observed by the controller on radar at 2,000 feet, heading 013 degrees, 112 knots at 0245:24. At 0245:57, the airplane was observed on radar at 1200 feet, heading 051 degrees, and the ground speed had increased to 124 knots. The pilot stated at 0245:58, 'I haven't any direction finder I don't see anything one six ro.' At 0246:28, radar contact was lost. The pilot had recorded as logged 1 hour of night pilot-in-command flight time. All simulated instrument time was dual instruction. The moon set at 2159 with only 1 percent illumination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.