ZACHARY, LA, USA
N6757G
CESSNA 150L
THIS WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S FIRST SOLO X-COUNTRY FLT. NO WX BRIEFING WAS OBTAINED NOR WAS A FLT PLAN FILED. A LARGE FRONTAL SYSTEM, WHICH EXTENDED OVER SEVERAL STATES, WAS APPROACHING THE AIRPORT. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST 12 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE. THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY STRUCK TREES IN A 50 DEG NOSE LOW, RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE WX AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS FOGGY, RAINY, WITH 1 MILE VISIBILITY. THE STUDENT PILOT WAS RECEIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION FROM THE OPERATOR. HIS INSTRUCTOR DID NOT INDICATE HE WAS AWARE OF THE INTENDED FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS BOOKED FROM THE OPERATOR. SEVERAL PEOPLE SPOKE TO THE PILOT PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE AND NOTED NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT HIM.
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AFTER ENCOUNTERING INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL WEATHER CONDITIONS (IMC) SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, HIS INTENTIONAL TAKEOFF INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF CONTROLLING ACCESS TO THEIR AIRPLANES BY STUDENT PILOTS IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS, THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING, AND HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT FLIGHT TIME.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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