VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN12FA143
CESSNA 177A — North Vernon, IN
| Date | January 22, 2012 |
| Location | North Vernon, IN |
| Aircraft | CESSNA 177A |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night/Dark · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Uncontrolled descent Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) |
| Pilot age | 55 |
| Pilot total time | 458 hrs · Building experience |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 2 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusio-Spatial disorientation-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Ceiling/visibility/precip-(general)-Effect on operation
- Personnel issues-Experience/knowledge-Experience/qualifications-Qualification/certification-Pilot - F
What happened
The non-instrument-rated pilot was conducting the accident flight under visual flight rules (VFR) without a flight plan in dark night conditions. Before the flight, the pilot obtained several weather briefings indicating that instrument meteorological conditions prevailed along his route of flight. Postaccident review of weather and radar data indicated that the airplane descended into instrument meteorological conditions near the destination airport. Based on the wreckage distribution, which was consistent with a high-speed impact, and the adverse weather conditions present at the time of the accident, it is likely that the pilot experienced spatial disorientation and lost control of the airplane. Federal Aviation Administration guidance indicated that spatial disorientation can occur when there is no natural horizon or surface reference, such as night flight in sparsely populated areas similar to that of the accident area and in instrument conditions. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.