Cessna 182RG N55AG

Summary

On 22 May 1990 at about 19:10 local time, a Cessna 182RG registered N55AG, operated by John E. Godwin JR., was involved in an accident near Highland, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 May 1990 at 19:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Highland, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.0491, -83.1893

Aircraft

Cessna 182RG

Registration

N55AG

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John E. Godwin JR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greensboro → Franklin

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL90FA118

1 person died.

THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTED VFR FLIGHT IN IMC. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT ARE THE PILOT'S INACCURATE WEATHER EVALUATION AND POOR IN FLIGHT DECISION.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT FILED A FLIGHT PLAN INTO AN AIRPORT WITHOUT AN INSTRUMENT PROCEDURE. WEATHER CONDITIONS AROUND THE AIRPORT WERE NOT VISUAL, AND THE HIGH TERRAIN WAS OBSCURED BY CLOUDS. THE PILOT CANCELED HIS INSTRUMENT CLEARANCE AND ATTEMPTED A VISUAL ENTRY. HE COLLIDED WITH A 4200 FOOT RIDGE 15 MILES FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. WEATHER AT THE AIRPORT WAS 2000 FEET WITH 7 MILES VISIBILITY. THE FIELD ELEVATION IS 2020 FEET. THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO THE ROCKY FACE OF THE MOUNTAIN AND WAS RESTRAINED FROM SLIDING DOWN SLOPE BY VEGETATION. THE WRECKAGE BURNED AND WAS LOCATED 6 DAYS AFTER THE CRASH. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION FAILED TO REVEAL MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.