Cessna 172S N518ER

Summary

On 29 November 2003 at about 21:00 local time, a Cessna 172S registered N518ER, operated by Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, was involved in an accident near Wikieup, Arizona, United States. One person was 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

29 November 2003 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Wikieup, Arizona, United States

Coordinates

34.8750, -113.2889

Aircraft

Cessna 172S

Registration

N518ER

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Bullhead City → Prescott

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX04LA054

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's selection of an en route altitude that did not provide adequate terrain clearance, and resulted in the in-flight collision with terrain. The rising terrain and the blind/box canyon were contributing factors.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While maneuvering over rapidly rising mountainous terrain, the pilot entered a box-like canyon and collided with terrain. The flight school's management indicated that the pilot's approved flight plan specified an en route cruise altitude of 9,500 feet mean sea level (msl). The pilot said he deviated from the approval and descended initially to 1,000 feet above the ground, about 7,000 msl, to view features on the surface. Minutes prior to the accident, the pilot was flying over a valley. Unable to outclimb the rising terrain, which led into a box-like canyon, the pilot maneuvered the airplane until it impacted the mountainside, about 7,200 feet msl.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.