Cessna 172R N2126R

Summary

On 15 October 2012 at about 02:27 local time, a Cessna 172R registered N2126R, operated by Flightline Leasing Inc, was involved in an accident near Simpson, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

15 October 2012 at 02:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Simpson, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

31.2992, -92.8889

Aircraft

Cessna 172R

Registration

N2126R

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Flightline Leasing Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Pineville → Orange

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN13FA012

1 person died.

The pilot’s loss of airplane control while maneuvering between areas of precipitation during a night cross-country flight.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot departed on a night cross-country flight. When he did not reach his destination, the flight was reported missing and the wreckage was found the following day. Recorded radar data revealed that, after departure, the airplane climbed for about 15 minutes, maneuvered, then made a descending right turn between two areas of precipitation. Postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not have a current medical certificate. According to his personal medical records, he had a history of hypertension, insomnia, and inflammatory arthritis. About a month before the accident, the pilot reported symptoms from his arthritis, including increased joint pain and stiffness, to his personal physician and received treatment. Ten days later, the pilot called his physician's office for a refill of his narcotic pain medication. Toxicology testing of tissue samples found zolpidem and hydrocodone, both of which carry a warning of mental and/or physical impairment. However, the extent to which the pilot's medical conditions and his use of potentially impairing medications may have affected his judgment or psychomotor functioning cannot be determined from available evidence.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.