Accident Sequence
Following the boarding of three Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets for an orientation flight, the flight instructor of the Cessna 172 executed a takeoff. Once airborne, the airplane made an immediate right turn directly toward a mountain. The airplane continued toward the mountain, paralleled the mountain's face, then passed over the mountain and out of sight.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage was located in a heavily wooded area at an elevation of 2,070 feet above sea level. The debris path and impact marks were consistent with a near vertical impact. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
Background
The flight instructor had a history of flying low and performing maneuvers bordering on excessive with cadets onboard. On the day of the accident and on the flight prior to the accident flight, cadets experienced zero-g maneuvers, along with near vertical climbs and descents, with the pilot recovering between 75 to 100 feet above the ground.