What happened
On August 7, 2008, a Cessna 172S, registration N15963, crashed into the Mount Rose Wilderness Area near Incline Village, Nevada. The flight departed from Palo Alto, California, at approximately 2010, with the intention of landing at Reno/Tahoe International Airport. The pilot, a student pilot, was the sole occupant of the aircraft.
During the flight, the aircraft climbed to 11,500 feet mean sea level and proceeded northeast. At approximately 2107, the airplane began a descent. Radar contact was lost shortly after the aircraft was 35 nautical miles southwest of Reno. The last radar data showed the airplane descending from 11,200 feet on a 045-degree heading. While the pilot had been receiving VFR flight following services, he did not check in with Reno approach control as instructed.
An emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal was detected near the California-Nevada border early the following morning. Search crews located the wreckage at an elevation of approximately 8,600 feet. The pilot sustained 1 fatal injury.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage and found the impact path was downslope and approximately 1,760 feet long. The engine, nose landing gear, and right wing separated from the fuselage upon impact. Mechanical examination of the engine and airframe revealed no pre-impact anomalies; the engine was functional, and all flight controls remained attached to the airframe.
Review of the pilot's records showed he had approximately 97 total flight hours, with only 19 hours of solo time. His total night flight time was only 1.8 hours, which had occurred the night before the accident. He had not yet been endorsed for solo cross-country flight by his instructor, and the operator had not authorized this 160-nautical-mile flight.
Toxicological analysis of the pilot revealed the presence of benzoylecgonine (a cocaine metabolite), buprenorphine, fluoxetine, lamotrigine, and quetiapine. While the levels of cocaine indicated use occurred more than 24 hours prior to the crash, the presence of these substances was noted alongside the pilot's history of substance dependence and treatment for bipolar disorder.
Findings
- The pilot initiated a night cross-country flight without instructor approval or the necessary solo cross-country endorsements.
- The pilot failed to maintain terrain clearance while flying in mountainous terrain at night.
- The pilot's medical condition and recent use of various substances may have contributed to the accident.
- The aircraft was equipped with a Garmin G1000 cockpit that lacked a terrain avoidance feature.