Summary
On July 03, 2017, a Cessna 207 (N9620M) was involved in an incident near Hope, AK. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.
According to the pilot, he was flying the second airplane in a flight of two, about one mile behind the lead airplane. The lead airplane pilot reported to him, via the airplane's radio, that he encountered decreasing visibility, and that he was making a 180° turn to the left to exit the area.
The pilot recalled that after losing sight of the lead airplane, he made a shallow climbing turn to the right and noticed that the terrain was rising. He recalled that he entered the clouds for a few seconds and, "At that moment I ran into the trees which I never saw coming."
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA17CA388. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N9620M.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was flying the second airplane in a flight of two, about one mile behind the lead airplane. The lead airplane pilot reported to him, via the airplane's radio, that he encountered decreasing visibility, and that he was making a 180° turn to the left to exit the area.
The pilot recalled that after losing sight of the lead airplane, he made a shallow climbing turn to the right and noticed that the terrain was rising. He recalled that he entered the clouds for a few seconds and, "At that moment I ran into the trees which I never saw coming."
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings.
The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot reported that the temperature was 60° Fahrenheit with 8 miles visibility and 1,500-foot ceilings.
The nearest METAR was about 1 mile away and reported that the temperature was 54° Fahrenheit and the dew point was 52° Fahrenheit. The visibility was 8 statute miles with light rain. The ceiling was broken at 500 feet and overcast at 1,500 feet.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA17CA388