Cessna 182RG N9877C

Summary

On 18 September 1988 at about 10:15 local time, a Cessna 182RG registered N9877C was involved in an accident near Zanesville, Ohio, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 September 1988 at 10:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Zanesville, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

39.9492, -82.0097

Aircraft

Cessna 182RG

Registration

N9877C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Zanesville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CHI88FA237

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING, AND HIS OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS OWN ABILITY WHICH LED TO HIS REPEATED DECISIONS TO OPERATE HIS AIRCRAFT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE FACT THAT THE PILOT HAD OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WITHOUT INCIDENT ON NUMEROUS PREVIOUS OCCASIONS CONTRIBUTED TO HIS OVER CONFIDENCE/ EXPECTANCY ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE VFR PILOT AND HIS STUDENT PILOT RATED RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK, IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH EXTREMELY RESTRICTED VISIBILITIES DUE TO DENSE FOG (WITNESSES ESTIMATED AS LITTLE AS 15 FEET VISIBILITY IN AREAS). ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES AND IMPACTED AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN NORTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. A LOCAL RESIDENT REPORTED HEARING THE SOUND OF AN ENGINE, LOUD AND RUNNING STEADY, COMING TOWARD HIS HOUSE. HE HEARD A THUD AND THE ENGINE NOISE QUIT. HE STATED THAT IT SOUNDED SO CLOSE THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEWSPAPER DELIVERY TRUCK ON THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND IT'S OCCUPANTS WERE DISCOVERED ABOUT 4 HOURS LATER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT AIRFRAME/ENGINE/SYSTEM MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT FREQUENTLY OPERATED IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.