Cessna 172RG N9771B

Summary

On 18 February 2010 at about 23:47 local time, a Cessna 172RG registered N9771B was involved in an accident near Albany, Ohio, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 February 2010 at 23:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Albany, Ohio, United States

Nearest airport

Ohio University Airport-Snyder (KUNI)

Coordinates

39.2156, -82.2289

Aircraft

Cessna 172RG

Registration

N9771B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Harrisburg → Batavia

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN10LA126

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot’s decision to initiate and continue the flight into known icing conditions with an airplane not properly equipped for flight into icing conditions which exceeded the capabilities of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot was in visual meteorological conditions above the clouds and requested a descent through the clouds under instrument flight rules (IFR). The air traffic controller asked if the pilot was qualified to operate in IFR conditions and the pilot responded that he was qualified. During the descent, the airplane accumulated ice. The pilot had been made aware of the possibility of icing conditions during two preflight briefings, an in-flight weather update, and by the controller who relayed pilot reports of ice accumulation. The airplane was not approved or equipped for flight in icing conditions. As the rate of ice accumulation increased, the pilot requested to divert to another airport. The controller issued radar vectors and subsequently cleared the pilot for an instrument approach to that airport. Later, the pilot communicated that he had the airport in sight and canceled his IFR clearance. The airplane subsequently impacted trees and the ground about 1/4 mile from the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.