LOGANSPORT, IN, USA
N64087
CESSNA 172P
THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED MARGINAL WX WITH THUNDERSTORMS (TSTMS) & DIVERTED TO PERU, INDIANA; HOWEVER, THUNDERSTORMS WERE THERE AS WELL. HE CONTACTED GRISSOM APCH CONTROL. AFTER SOME DIFFICULTY WITH RADIO RECEPTION, HE OBTAINED VECTORS TO DIVERT TO LOGANSPORT, INDIANA, BUT BY THAT TIME, HE WAS SURROUNDED BY TSTMS. AT AN ALT OF 2500', HE ENCTRD HVY RAIN WITH NO FWD VIS. HE RPRTD THAT HE FLEW INTO A TSTM & ENCTRD SEVERE TURBC. HE STATED THAT 'THE GYROS TUMBLED,' & HE THOUGHT THE ACFT WAS SPINNING, THEN THE ACFT EXITED THE STORM INVERTED, AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 400'. HE RECOVERED FROM THE UNUSUAL ATTITUDE & ELECTED TO LAND. DRG THE LANDING, THE LEFT WING TIP CONTACTED THE GROUND & THE ACFT WAS DAMAGED AS IT SKIDDED TO A STOP. POLICE & MEDICAL PSNL NOTED THE ODOR OF ALCOHOL COMING FROM THE PLT'S BREATH. A SAMPLE OF BLOOD WAS DRAWN FROM THE PLT APRX 3-3/4 HRS AFTER THE ACDNT. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK OF THE SAMPLE SHOWED THE PLT HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.16%. HE WAS DENIED A MED CERT AFTER HEART SURGERY IN 1975.
POOR JUDGEMENT OF THE PILOT DUE TO PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT FROM CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL, HIS INADVERTENT FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, AND HIS INADEQUATE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE PILOT BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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