Cessna 172 N6203F accident near Cynthiana, Kentucky

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain proper glide path during a visual approach that was conducted at night, resulting in a collision with trees and terrain.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was approaching the destination airport for landing at night. On short final approach to the runway, he observed he was slightly low via the precision approach path indicator (PAPI) lights. Due to a 20-knot crosswind, the pilot was attempting to maintain runway centerline and entered an inadvertent slip, subsequently losing 20ft of altitude. As he looked up, he saw all red on the PAPI lights and reached to the throttle to reacquire the glideslope. He then observed the treetops in front of the propeller and the airplane contacted the trees. The airplane subsequently the ground and came to a stop. The airplane’s fuselage, both wings, and empennage were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA21LA050 for the full record.