CRAIG, CO, USA
N45936
CESSNA 152
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON THE RETURN LEG OF A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE WAS UNABLE TO GET THE COURSE DEVIATION INDICATOR TO CENTER, SO HE USED PILOTAGE TO NAVIGATE. HE WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY LANDMARKS AND ENTERED A WRONG CANYON. HE SIGHTED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 15 AND BELIEVED HE WAS SOUTH OF PROVO (IT WAS ACTUALLY INTERSTATE HIGHWAY 80 AND THE PILOT WAS IN NORTHERN UTAH). AFTER FOLLOWING THE HIGHWAY FOR SOME TIME, THE PILOT REALIZED HE HAD MADE A MISTAKE AND TURNED AROUND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSEWHEEL FOLDED BACK AND THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER. A PLACARD ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL READ, 'TO/FROM FLAG REVERSED TEMPORARILY.'
On June 20, 1995, approximately 1930 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 152, N45936, was substantially damaged during a forced landing 20 miles north of Craig, Colorado. The student pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The following is based on a telephone interview with the pilot and the pilot/operator report he filed. The pilot was on a solo cross-country flight from Provo, Utah, to Vernal, Utah, and return. En route to Vernal, he twice attempted to contact the Cedar City Automated Flight Service Station on the Fairfield VOR frequency to open his VFR flight plan, but was unsuccessful. He became nauseated from turbulence, but continued to Vernal and landed. After refueling, he took off to return to Provo. The pilot was unable to get the course deviation indicator (CDI) to center, so he attempted to fix his position relative to the Myton and Vernal Vortacs. He interpreted the readings to indicate he was north of the Myton Vortac, so he flew south for 10 to 15 minutes. Unable to identify known landmarks, he then determined he was south of the Mynton Vortac. The pilot decided to follow the nearest canyon west to get into Utah valley. When the pilot exited what he thought was Hobble Creek Canyon, he sighted a 4-lane, north-south highway. He thought it was Interstate Highway 15 and that he was south of Provo (the highway was actually Interstate Highway 80 and the pilot was in northern Utah). The pilot followed this highway until he realized he had made a mistake and turned south. "I soon exhausted my fuel supply and the engine stopped." He made a forced landing in an open field. When the airplane touched down, the nosewheel folded and the airplane nosed over. Postaccident inspection of the airplane disclosed a placard on the instrument panel that read, "TO/FROM FLAG REVERSED TEMPORARILY."
THE PILOT BECAME LOST AND DISORIENTED, RESULTING IN FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WERE THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING AND THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES IN EQUIPMENT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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