2011 Cessna 172M Crash at Dutchess County Airport (N61579)

Accident Overview and Flight History On June 28, 2011, at 1212 EDT, a Cessna 172M, registration N61579, was substantially damaged when it nosed over and impacted the ground during a short final approach to runway 24 at Dutchess County Airport (POU) in Poughkeepsie, New York. The aircraft, registered to Millbrook Flight LLC. and operated by a private individual, was conducting a local flight under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight departed POU at 1207 EDT without a filed flight plan. According to the aircraft owner, a mechanic had recently replaced the horizontal situation indicator, and the pilot intended to verify the instrument's operation. The passenger was the mechanic. ATC radar and audio data showed the aircraft remained in a left traffic pattern for runway 24. At 1209, the pilot reported being on downwind, and the controller cleared the flight for the option to land or touch-and-go. No distress calls were received. The last radar target was recorded at 1212:32, approximately 0.5 miles from the runway threshold at 300 feet MSL. A tower controller reported the aircraft appeared normal on final until approximately 0.25 miles from the threshold and 800 feet above the ground, when it nosed down, dove into the ground, and came to rest inverted.