Cessna 172F accident near Tappahanock, VA
On May 12, 1995, a Cessna 172F (airplane) was involved in an accident near Tappahanock, VA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- May 12, 1995
- Place
- Tappahanock, VA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.921°N, 76.861°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03413
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 12, 1995, about 1725 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172F, N5238F, operated by the Andrews Aero Club at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland, collided with a fencepost after the pilot overshot the intended landing point on runway 20 at the Tappahanock Municipal Airport in Tappahanock, Virginia. The pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was destroyed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The instructional solo cross country flight originated from Andrews Air Force Base and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the Andrews Aero Club records, the student pilot was intending to complete a 300 nautical mile cross country flight as required by 14 CFR Part 61.107 (private pilot certificate). The Visual Flight Rules (VFR) flight plan filed by the pilot revealed the intended route was from Andrews AFB (ADW)to Farmville Municipal Airport (FVX) in Farmville, Virginia, followed by a landing at Hampton Roads Airport (PVG) in Portsmouth, Virginia, and return to Andrews Air Force Base. Prior to the cross country flight on the day of the accident, the Aero Club's Manager reported that he reviewed the cross country flight with the student pilot. The Manager stated, "I...told her that if she had any problems, she was to call back to the club and we would send down another aircraft for her to complete the flight." He also stated that they discussed procedures regarding being disoriented/lost during the flight. He said the student pilot stated that if she got lost "...she would climb up and request a radar assist from Richmond...." The departure time of
Probable cause
The student pilot's misjudgment of distance/speed during the approach to land, and her failure to go around while there was still sufficient runway remaining. Factors related to the accident were: inadequate supervision by the flight instructor, the student's lack of recent flying experience, and the student pilot becaming lost or disoriented during the solo cross-country flight.
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Browse: Virginia · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
