Cessna 172N N738JR

Summary

On 19 August 2002 at about 00:50 local time, a Cessna 172N registered N738JR, operated by Albemarle Flight School, was involved in an accident near Stanardsville, Virginia, 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

19 August 2002 at 00:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Stanardsville, Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Charlottesville Albemarle (CHO)

Coordinates

38.3522, -78.5022

Aircraft

Cessna 172N

Registration

N738JR

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Albemarle Flight School

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Charlottesville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

IAD02FA088

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance while descending over mountainous terrain. A factor was the night lighting conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a local, night pleasure flight. A review of radar data revealed that the airplane headed north-northwest from the airport, towards mountainous terrain. The airplane crossed over a ridge, then maneuvered along its northwestern edge before turning southeast. The airplane proceeded on the southeasterly heading for several minutes, then crossed back over the mountain ridge in a shallow descent before the data ended. The airplane came to rest in heavily wooded terrain approximately 25 feet below a 3,375-foot mountain peak. Examination of the airplane and engine revealed no mechanical anomalies. Examination of the pilot's logbook revealed that he had recently completed 2.8 hours of flight instruction, of which, 1.5 hours were at night, after not having flown for almost two years. In addition, the pilot had not logged any solo flight time in almost 13 years prior to the accident. Weather, reported about the time of the accident at an airport 12.7 nautical miles to the south, about 2,700 feet below the accident site elevation, included winds from 240 degrees at 3 knots, visibility 6 statute miles, mist, and clear skies. The moon was 86% illuminated, 26 degrees above the horizon.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.