Cessna 172L accident near Mill Creek, PA
On August 28, 2000, a Cessna 172L (airplane) was involved in an accident near Mill Creek, PA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 28, 2000
- Place
- Mill Creek, PA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.431°N, 77.921°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X21827
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 27, 2000, about 2235 Eastern Daylight Time, a Cessna 172L, N4344Q, was destroyed when it struck rising terrain near Mill Creek, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area. No flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed Riverview Airport (08C), Jenison, Michigan, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane was last refueled on August 27, 2000, with 18.1 gallons of 100 LL aviation grade gasoline. According to personnel at the Riverview Airport, the pilot and his airplane were seen at the airport about 1730. When the airport was closed about 1930, the airplane was gone, and the pilot was not seen. According to pilot's wife, the purpose of the flight was to pickup a friend at Keller Brothers Airport, Lebanon, Pennsylvania , and return him to Jenison on the following day. The transponder onboard the airplane was inoperative. However, there was a hand held global positioning navigation system (GPS) onboard. When the airplane did not arrive at its destination, family members notified the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). On August 28, 2000, the FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) for any FAA facility that may have had radio contact with the airplane. No record was found for any communications with FAA facilities while en route. In addition, there was no record of the pilot receiving a weather briefing prior to departure, or filing a flight plan. The airplane was found on the northwest slope of Jack's Mountain on September 10, 2000, 74 nautical m
Probable cause
The pilot's improper pre-flight planning, and in-flight planning decision to continue visual fight into deteriorating adverse weather conditions. Factors were the night conditions, low clouds and fog.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing B-737-300, Sep 8, 1994
- Boeing 757, Sep 11, 2001
- British Aerospace J-3101, May 21, 2000
- Bell UH-1N, May 29, 2008
- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania · 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.
