Cessna 172N accident near Vidal Junction, CA
On June 19, 1995, a Cessna 172N (airplane) was involved in an accident near Vidal Junction, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 19, 1995
- Place
- Vidal Junction, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.141°N, 114.519°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001207X03731
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 18, 1995, about 1920 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 172N, N739KJ, was destroyed during an in-flight collision with mountainous terrain near Vidal Junction, California. The aircraft was operated by Century Air Terminal, Inc., of Lake Havasu City, Arizona, and rented by the pilot for a local area personal flight. The pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated at Lake Havasu about 1840 hours on the day of the accident. According to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center (AFRCC) at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, the first emergency locator transmitter signal received by a satellite from the accident location was about 1920 hours. The airplane wreckage was subsequently found the next day at the 2,100-foot level of the 2,695-foot-high Savahia Peak. PERSONNEL INFORMATION On May 31, 1995, the pilot went to the operator for a checkout in a rental aircraft. The checkout and biennial flight review were satisfactory. The pilot rented from the operator two additional times during the month of June prior to the accident flight. The pilot reported a total flight time of 1,523 hours with no flight time in the past 6 months, at his May 16, 1995, flight physical. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION According to the operator, the pilot rented the airplane with full fuel for the local flight. The operator estimated the departure time to be about 1840 hours. The Hobbs hour meter was 0167.8 at the time of checkout, and indicated 0168.6 at the accident site. WRECKAGE AND
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain an altitude adequate to avoid the mountainous/hilly terrain. Contributing to the accident was the glare from the setting sun.
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Browse: California · 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.
