On June 1, 1997, a Cessna 402 (registration N1233P) operated by Casper Air Service was involved in an aviation accident near Rawlins, United States of America during takeoff. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot failed to keep the aircraft clear of rising terrain during the initial climb following a nighttime takeoff. This summary draws on records from the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives (B3A); 6 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft crashed into rising terrain shortly after departing an airport during a night flight, resulting from a failure to maintain obstacle clearance.
What happened
During a departure under dark-night conditions, the aircraft entered a collision course with rising terrain approximately 1.25 miles from the runway threshold. The incident occurred while the aircraft was in its initial climb phase following takeoff. Records regarding the operator indicated that the pilot had previously operated flights out of this specific airfield. At the time of the accident, the aircraft's weight was noted to be roughly 600 pounds under its maximum certificated gross weight.
Findings
Post-accident investigations included a teardown inspection of both engines, which showed no evidence of mechanical anomalies prior to the impact. Analysis of the propellers revealed damage patterns that were consistent with ground contact while the blades were in a flat pitch and operating under significant power. The investigation concluded that the primary factor was the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain during the climb phase, exacerbated by the low visibility of the night departure.
Probable cause
The pilot failed to keep the aircraft clear of rising terrain during the initial climb following a nighttime takeoff.