CESSNA 172
Bowie, MD — November 30, 2017
Event Information
| Date | November 30, 2017 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | GAA18CA074 |
| Event ID | 20171201X94959 |
| Location | Bowie, MD |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 38.94556, -76.77333 |
| Airport | FREEWAY |
| Highest Injury | NONE |
Aircraft
| Make | CESSNA |
| Model | 172 |
| Category | AIR |
| FAR Part | 091 |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | NITE |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 0 |
| None | 1 |
| Total Injured | 0 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness during the approach to land. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction by the instrument panel during the approach.
Full Narrative
The pilot reported that, during approach to land in night conditions, he noticed that the airspeed displayed on a newly installed electronic flight instrument was reading slightly different than the airspeed indicator. He added that his altitude judgement was affected "by the scarcity of observable objects in the landing area, the "black hole" effect, which was likely worsened by the brightness of the [electronic instrument]". When the pilot looked up from the instrument panel, he saw tree branches approaching. The airplane struck the trees and came to rest inverted.
The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.