LIVERMORE, CA, USA
N97462
CESSNA 172P
DURING A NIGHT FLIGHT, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH HILLY TERRAIN IN A NEAR WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE. WEATHER IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS FOUND DURING THE ENGINE INSPECTION ON SITE. THE PILOT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED, BUT A REVIEW OF LOGBOOK ENTRIES REVEALED THAT HE WAS NOT INSTRUMENT CURRENT. THE PILOT HAD CONTACTED THE CONTROL TOWER AND REQUESTED A TRANSITION THROUGH THEIR AREA, AND THEN ADVISED THE TOWER HE WAS GOING TO PERFORM A 180 DEGREE TURN. NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS WERE RECEIVED BY THE TOWER.
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THIS ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, THE RAIN AND HIGH WIND CONDITIONS IN THE AREA.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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