Cessna 172H accident near Grottoes, VA
On April 14, 2000, a Cessna 172H (airplane) was involved in an accident near Grottoes, VA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 14, 2000
- Place
- Grottoes, VA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172H · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.260°N, 78.820°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X20891
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 14, 2000, at 1202 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 172H, N1404F, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in the Blue Ridge Mountains, near Grottoes, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan between Williamsburg-Jamestown Airport (JGG), Williamsburg, Virginia, and Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD), Weyers Cave, Virginia. The business flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane departed Williamsburg about 1100. According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air traffic control voice recordings, the pilot initially contacted in with Norfolk Approach Control, "climbing to 2,000 feet." The pilot was instructed to climb to 4,000 feet, and proceed directly to the Hopewell VOR (HPW). He was then handed off to the "east feeder" controller of Richmond Approach Control, where he was given several vectors, then instructed to proceed direct to the Gordonsville VOR (GVE), when able. He was later cleared to 6,000 feet, and was told to contact Richmond Approach on a "west feeder" position frequency. On that frequency, he was given an altimeter setting of 30.37, and later, was instructed to switch to a "Charlottesville east feeder" position frequency. When he checked in on that frequency, he was again given an altimeter setting of 30.37. At 1156:50, the pilot was told, "...descend and maintain five thousand fly heading two seven zero receiving staut proceed direct," which he acknowledged. At 1201:19,
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control of the airplane in instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Factors included the pilot's lack of instrument time under actual conditions, and his lack of recent instrument flight experience.
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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.
