WASHINGTON TWP, NJ, USA
N3353E
CESSNA 172N
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 1000 FEET AND FLYING OVER A DARK WOODED AREA, THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO AVOID SOME REPORTED SNOW SHOWERS. THE PILOT HAD REQUESTED RADAR ADVISORIES THROUGH THE ARSA, BUT WAS NEVER PICKED UP ON RADAR. A WITNESS HEARD THE AIRPLANE FLY VERY LOW OVER HIS HOME, LOCATED ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE CRASH SITE. THE AIRPLANE HIT TREES AND THEN COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT HAD APPROXIMATELY 80 HOURS OF TOTAL FLYING TIME AND NEGLIGIBLE NIGHT FLIGHT TIME. THE PILOT WAS BRIEFED ABOUT SNOW AND ICING CONDITION FOR HIS INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT. THE AIRPLANE WAS FOUND ON 12/27/89 IN A WOODED AREA NORTH OF ATLANTIC CITY, NJ.
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO PROPERLY PRE-FLIGHT PLAN AND EXECUTE THE VFR FLIGHT. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S INEXPERIENCE; NO VISUAL CUES (LIGHTS) DUE TO DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS; THE PILOT'S DISREGARD OF THE WEATHER BRIEFING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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