AFTON, WY, USA
N739XX
CESSNA 172N
AS THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT WAS RETURNING FROM A X-COUNTRY FLT AT NIGHT, THE ACFT CRASHED ON RISING TERRAIN. IMPACT OCCURRED AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 10,300 FT, NEAR THE TOP OF A MTN RIDGE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THERE WAS A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT IN THE AREA WITH TSTMS. ABOUT 30 MI SE AT ROCK SPRINGS, WY, THE WX WAS IN PART: 1300 FT BROKEN, 5 MI VIS WITH RAIN, WIND FM 280 DEG AT 17 GUSTING 22 KTS.
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC) AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND RISING/MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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