Cessna Aircraft Co LC42-550FG accident near Salisburry, NC
On March 2, 2012, a Cessna Aircraft Co LC42-550FG (airplane) was involved in an accident near Salisburry, NC. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 2, 2012
- Place
- Salisburry, NC
- Aircraft
- Cessna Aircraft Co LC42-550FG · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.637°N, 80.291°W
- NTSB ID
- 20120303X31233
Official records · ERA12FA205
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 2, 2012, about 1340 eastern standard time, a Cessna LC42-550FG, N167ZP, was destroyed following a collision with water at High Rock Lake, Salisbury, North Carolina. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Marginal visual flight rule (MVFR) conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from Davison County Airport (EXX), Lexington, North Carolina, about 1310. A lineman at EXX stated that he spoke to the pilot prior to departure and the pilot informed him that his destination was Florida. The lineman said that he mentioned the weather to the pilot, and the pilot responded that he was going to stay below 1,900 feet and that he should be fine. Shortly thereafter, the lineman went over to refuel another airplane and heard the pilot announce on the Unicom frequency that he was going to depart runway 24. The lineman watched as the airplane rotated approximately 2,000 feet down the runway and climb out normally. He said that the weather at the time was visual flight rules (VFR) with very light drops of rain. The lineman recalled looking at the Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) monitor, and it was reporting 1,800-foot ceilings and 10 miles visibility. There were no distress calls made by the pilot or transmissions that the airplane was returning to the airport. According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the airplane was not captured on radar at the ti
Probable cause
The non-instrument-rated pilot's decision to continue flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a loss of control.
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Browse: North Carolina · 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.
