Cessna 172N | N80FP

The DTSB determines the Probable Cause of this accident to be Pilot Error, in that the right seat female CFI did allow the aircraft to be flown at low altitude over a dark lake during night, low visibility conditions, and eventually did lose all horizon reference, and did attempt to maintain aircraft control by looking outside of the aircraft, which resulted in an ever tightening graveyard spiral. The VFR sectional contains this note on the chart within a very few miles of the accident location: “CAUTION: Be prepared for loss of horizontal reference at low altitude over lake during hazy conditions and at night.” The left seat male private pilot was receiving cross country dual flight instruction from the CFI, and both were not prepared to concentrate on cockpit instruments in order to maintain wings level flight during expected VMC conditions. Both pilots attempted to believe the false visual sensory inputs being displayed out the front windshield. The accident aircraft flew a very high speed descending final flight profile where impact with the lake occurred at a very high rate of descent, exhibiting hallmark characteristics of the SD-N AQP scenario.

The DTSB recommends that all pilots of all aircraft rehearse and condition themselves to guard against SD-N, the AQP scenario where VFR flight leads into a total loss of visual horizon reference. The DTSB also recommends that all flight school owners and management publish immediate reminder bulletins to their CFI staff regarding night operations in low visibility and on routes that may place the aircraft in an area with zero outside visual reference. The DTSB recommends that in an emergency, “BOTH” pilots (CFI and student) be prepared to wear and utilized view limiting devices to prevent the tendencies to try to look outside the aircraft for reference.