NTSB Factual Report

On November 9, 1993, at 1900 mountain standard time, a Cessna 175, N7112M, operated by the Battle Mountain Flying Club, Hot Springs, South Dakota, sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain three miles west of the Hot Springs Municipal Airport, Hot Springs, South Dakota. The private pilot was seriously injured. The safety pilot, seated in the right front seat, received fatal injuries, and one passenger, seated in the rear of the airplane, was not injured. The local personal flight originated at Hot Springs at 1700. No flight plan was filed, and visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time.

The pilot checked in with Ellsworth AFB Approach Control at 1708 and requested radar service for multiple practice approaches at Rapid City Municipal Airport. The pilot flew seven practice approaches and requested flight following to Hot Springs. Radar service was terminated at 1851 near Approach Control's southern airspace boundary.

The airplane collided with trees and upward sloping terrain three miles west of the Hot Springs Airport. The pilot in the left seat was flying the airplane and wearing "foggles" to simulate instrument meteorological conditions. The passenger seated in the right front seat was acting as safety pilot. The pilot stated he doesn't remember anything after terminating radar service with Approach Control. The passenger seated in the rear seat was asleep and said he didn't remember anything until the crash woke him up.

A pilot on the ground at the Hot Springs Airport, who was preparing to takeoff on runway 19, reported he heard the pilot of the mishap airplane report on downwind for runway 1 at Hot Springs. He stated he considered aborting his takeoff, but continued after looking to the right and not seeing the airplane.

The airplane was reported overdue by the wife of one of the occupants about 2400. Scott AFB reported receiving an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal in the area of the crash site about 2200. The crash site was located by local law enforcement and Civil Air Patrol personnel about 0300.

The airplane and engine were examined by Federal Aviation Administration personnel from the Rapid City Flight Standards District Office. No aircraft or engine malfunction was reported. A Garmin GPS 55, global positioning satellite receiver was recovered from the wreckage and sent to the National Transportation Safety Board's Regional Office in Chicago for examination. The last position in the receiver's memory was: 43 degrees, 22.17 minutes N, 103 degrees, 27.59 minutes W.

An autopsy and toxicological examination was performed on the fatally injured passenger. The autopsy was performed by D.M. Habbe, M.D., Clinical Laboratory of the Black Hills, 2805 Fifth Street, Rapid City, South Dakota, 57701. The toxicological examination was negative.

NTSB Probable Cause

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOTS TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ENSURE TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE DARK NIGHT AND RISING TERRAIN.