SANTA YNEZ, CA, USA
N98564
CESSNA 172P
DURING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, IN IMC, THE AIRPLANE SUDDENLY BEGAN TO DESCEND AT 2000 FPM. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PULLED BACK ON THE YOKE UNTIL THE AIRPLANE STALLED, THEN PUSHED FORWARD ON THE YOKE TO REGAIN AIRSPEED. THE PILOT REPEATED THIS PROCEDURE THREE TIMES WITH THE AIRPLANE STILL DESCENDING IN AN ATTEMPT TO FLY OUT OF THE DOWNDRAFT CONDITION. DURING THE FOURTH ATTEMPT, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A SPIN. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL APRX 200 FT AGL. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT COULD SEE THE GROUND AND INITIATED A FORCED LANDING. DURING THE LANDING ROLL IN AN OPEN FIELD, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED A LIMITED WEATHER BRIEFING FROM THE AUTOMATED WEATHER ANSWERING SERVICE.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO OBTAIN AN ADEQUATE PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING OR TO OBTAIN INFLIGHT WEATHER ADVISORY INFORMATION, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN FLYING SPEED WHILE DESCENDING IN A DOWNDRAFT.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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