BEDFORD, PA, USA
N61941
CESSNA 172M
THE AIRPLANE CRASHED AT NIGHT ABOUT 800 FEET PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING AN ABORTED LANDING. THE PILOT RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE SIX DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. HE HAD SIX HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT DOES NOT RECALL THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE ACCIDENT, BUT A PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD. THE PILOT THEN INCREASED POWER AND THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF, BEGAN TURNING LEFT, AND THEN DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE BARELY CLEARED A ROW OF TREES WHEN THE AIRPLANE PITCHED UP AND THE WINGS BEGAN ROCKING BACK AND FORTH. WITNESSES SAID THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING THE ENTIRE TIME. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND WITH THE LEFT WING AND THEN CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE UP AND THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB ACTUATOR CORRESPONDED WITH ABOUT A 5 TO 10 DEGREE NOSE UP SETTING. THE EXAMINATION DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED WHICH RESULTED IN A STALL.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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