Cessna 182R N4944H

Summary

On 9 September 1990 at about 02:18 local time, a Cessna 182R registered N4944H, operated by Shelby Aviation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Evington, Virginia, 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

9 September 1990 at 02:18

Classification

Accident

Location

Evington, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

37.2306, -79.2798

Aircraft

Cessna 182R

Registration

N4944H

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Shelby Aviation, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Charlottesville → Spartanburg

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

BFO90DID02

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE IS FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE ACFT WAS EN ROUTE IFR AT 6000 FT MSL WHEN THE PLT ASKED ATC FOR THE CLOUD BASE HEIGHT AND THEN SHORTLY AFTERWARDS HE REPORTED MALFUNCTION OF THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR. THE PLT ALSO STATED 'ALL VACUUM PUMPS ARE LOST.' THE PLT LATER INDICATED HE WAS UNAWARE OF HIS ATTITUDE. WITHNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT DESCENDED IN A NOSE DOWN AND STEEP BANK ATTITUDE BEFORE IT CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED FOG AND RAIN AT THE CRASH. THE ACFT DISINTEGRATED ON IMPACT AND WAS SCATTERED ABOUT 105 FT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT FLIGHTPATH AT IMPACT WAS 45 DEGREES DOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.