Cessna 172L N4344Q

Summary

On 28 August 2000 at about 02:35 local time, a Cessna 172L registered N4344Q, operated by Craig S. Treu, was involved in an accident near Mill Creek, Pennsylvania, 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

28 August 2000 at 02:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Mill Creek, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

40.4306, -77.9206

Aircraft

Cessna 172L

Registration

N4344Q

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Craig S. Treu

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Jenison → Lebanon

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

NYC00FA257

1 person died.

The pilot's improper pre-flight planning, and in-flight planning decision to continue visual fight into deteriorating adverse weather conditions. Factors were the night conditions, low clouds and fog.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instrument rated pilot departed on a night cross-country flight into deteriorating weather conditions with no flight plan, no weather briefing, and an inoperative transponder. However, a hand-held GPS was reported to be onboard. When the pilot failed to arrive at his destination, a search was initiated. The airplane was found 2 weeks later on the side of a mountain. The airplane had impacted rising terrain and came to rest inverted. No evidence of pre-existing mechanical failure or malfunction was found with either the engine or airframe. Witnesses in the area reported low clouds, fog, and rain near the time of the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.