On December 18, 1995, a Cessna 205 (registration N8415Z) was involved in an aviation accident near Culebra, PR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: Failure of the pilot to maintain sufficient altitude/clearance above the terrain, while maneuvering at night. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness with no visible horizon, and the pilot's lack of recent experience in night flight. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
An airplane took off at night, was seen flying over a city, then disappeared behind mountains. Found two days later, it had collided with terrain in a descending left turn. No precrash mechanical failure was found.
Accident Details
Witnesses reported observing the airplane take off at night. It then flew over the city until it disappeared from view behind the mountains. The weather at the time was windy with rain about to fall, and the cloud ceiling was approximately 1,000 feet. The only visible light reported was over the city.
The airplane was located two days later. Examination of the crash site revealed that the airplane had collided with terrain while in a descending left turn.
Investigation Findings
A thorough examination of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly, and accessories found no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction.
The pilot's last recorded night flight occurred 3 years and 9 months before the accident.