VFR into IMC · NTSB CEN09FA178
CESSNA 182M — Albany, LA
| Date | February 28, 2009 |
| Location | Albany, LA |
| Aircraft | CESSNA 182M |
| Purpose of flight | Personal |
| Conditions | Night/Dark · Visual Meteorological Cond |
| Phase / occurrence | Prior to flight Preflight or dispatch event |
| Pilot age | 39 |
| Pilot total time | 285 hrs · Low time |
| Time in type | Unknown |
| Fatalities | 3 |
Probable cause
NTSB findings
- Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-(general)-Not attained/maintained - C
- Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Psychological-Perception/orientation/illusio-Spatial disorientation-Pilot - C
- Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Decision making/judgment-Pilot - F
What happened
The non-instrument rated private pilot planned to attend a skydiving event near the destination airport that began the next day. Prior to departure, the pilot was aware of the low clouds affecting the destination airport. The pilot told an acquaintance at the destination airport that he needed to make the flight that night because of deteriorating weather conditions that were expected on the next day. Marginal visual flight rules (VFR) dark night conditions with occasional misting rain prevailed near the accident scene. Nearby stations reported 10 miles visibility with the bases of broken clouds as low as 1,500 feet with overcast clouds above. Radar data shows the airplane was at a varying altitude of approximately 3,000 feet mean sea level (msl) when it began to fly on a meandering course for approximately the last 20 minutes of the flight. The airplane made several turns and descended with the last radar contact at 1,600 feet msl. A witness located about 2 miles south of the accident location said he heard an airplane make several tight turns and estimated the airplane was at 800 to 1,000 feet above him in the clouds when it passed directly overhead. Two to three minutes later he heard the airplane "go to full power" and it sounded like it was "in a dive for about 2 seconds" until he heard the sounds of impact. Radar information and witness account suggested that the pilot may have been disoriented in the marginal VMC flight environment. The airplane was substantially damaged by the impact forces, and subsequent examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have prevented the normal operation of the airplane.