Aviation Accident Summary LAX89LA262

DANA POINT, CA, USA

Aircraft #1

N2667L

CESSNA 172H

Analysis

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE MAKING SLOW CIRCLES, COUNTER CLOCKWISE, WHEN THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE DROPPED AND THE ENGINE SOUND INCREASED. THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE THEN ROSE TO A NEAR VERTICAL CLIMB AND THE AIRPLANE 'SLOWLY LOOPED' OVER ONTO ITS BACK AND THEN DOVE NEAR VERTICALLY WHILE SLOWLY ROTATING 180 DEGREES AND STRIKING THE PACIFIC OCEAN NOSE FIRST. WITNESSES STATED THE ENGINE CONTINUED MAKING NOISE UNTIL THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE WATER. THE ACFT WAS AT APRX 500 FT AGL WHILE CIRCLING AND CLIMBED TO ABOUT 800 FT AGL BEFORE STALLING.

Probable Cause and Findings

PILOT-IN-COMMANDS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHILE IN MANEUVERING FLIGHT.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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