The non-instrument-rated pilot planned to conduct a cross-country flight. Before departure on the second leg of the flight, he obtained a weather briefing, which noted areas of instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions along his route of flight, including his destination airport.
During the briefing, the pilot indicated that his vehicle and work was at his destination.
The briefer and pilot discussed flying visual flight rules (VFR) over the cloud layer and possible alternate destination airports. The briefer suggested maintaining VFR flight and making an intermediary stop to again check the weather. The pilot elected to fly direct to his destination.
During the flight, he flew above the cloud layer and received VFR flight-following from ATC. The controller advised him that his preferred destination airport was currently under IFR conditions, but another airport was reporting VFR.
He elected to continue to the alternate destination airport. He notified the controller he did not have visual contact with the ground and continued his descent.
Shortly thereafter, the controller lost radar and radio communication with the pilot.
About the time of the accident, a person in the area reported the weather conditions as “clouds on the ground,” with low ceilings, and freezing fog and added that the visibility had changed from about 6 miles to less than ¼ mile in seconds.
The Cessna 172’s wreckage was found about eight miles from the airport near Wayne, Nebraska. The pilot died in the crash.
Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operations. A review of the pilot’s logbook revealed he had a total of about 111 flight hours.
The accident is consistent with controlled flight into terrain in instrument meteorological conditions as the pilot continued the descent without the ground in sight.
Probable cause: The pilot’s improper decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a collision with terrain.
NTSB Identification: CEN16FA073
This January 2016 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
So sad………….. So many ignore what common sense tells us….
I agree with you PJ and go one step further. Now that we have a Sport Pilot licence get rid of the Private Pilot certificate altogether. Make the Instrument Certificate the first multi-passenger licence.
The instrument technology has become so advanced in such a short time we are ignoring how important it is that all pilots need to understand how the whole IFR program works. This time of the year the weather changes so fast and is very unpredictable. If a person wants to fly beyond recreational they would be better off fling an Instrument Flight Plan before takeoff.
Airspace is getting denser and denser with aircraft of all sizes and speeds. Eventually we will have to fly with a before takeoff flight plan only because the airspace around cities is getting too crowded.
After reading so many of these same reports, I’m starting to think that the 3 hours under the hood required for a private pilot certificate is not enough. Maybe that number should be higher, and maybe it should include flying in some actual IMC conditions to really experience the feeling of spatial disorientation. Or maybe it’s just the way it’s being taught by some instructors. I know that my instructor was adamant that my foggles were modified (duct tape) and worn in a way that I couldn’t peek. And he also included lots of practice of recovery from unusual attitudes while under the hood. His goal wasn’t to just get those 3 hours out of the way, but to actually make sure I learned something useful from that practice. Maybe not all instructors are as thorough as they need to be on this topic. I’m not one for excess regulation, but it’s sad to keep reading these same reports at such regular intervals.
Sure this was the result of bad decision-making, but more or better training might have helped him survive the bad decision.
Perhaps so, I concurr. Even though some one has the title pilot in command, if there are any ATC guys out there who might know, I wonder how often the ATC guys are able to frankly warn the guy, don’t do it.
When I read these articles I really wonder how guys think they are so much better than the rest. What I learned from the Instument rating wasn’t so much as to actually do it.
What I really learned is, There Is No Reset Button on the panel.
It isn’t virtual reality. There is nothing more real than IFR flying … for us civilian ham fisted pukes anyway.
Suicide by airplane. Very low time guy ignoring every rule in the book.