Cessna 182E N3286Y

Summary

On 6 September 1997 at about 21:00 local time, a Cessna 182E registered N3286Y, operated by Boston-Providence Skydving CTR, was involved in an accident near Smithfield, Rhode Island, United States. 6 people were on board and 5 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 September 1997 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Smithfield, Rhode Island, United States

Nearest airport

North Central State (SFZ)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Cessna 182E

Registration

N3286Y

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Boston-Providence Skydving CTR

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Skydiving

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD97FA117

5 people died.

A loss of engine power for undetermined reason, and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane flew eight times on the same day, prior to the accident flight, taking skydivers aloft and releasing them. According to the airplane's log, the airplane was refueled 2 flights prior to the accident flight with 20 gallons of fuel. According to the owner, this was to keep the airplane within the center of gravity limits. According to witnesses and a video taken of the airplane, the pilot and five skydivers boarded the airplane and departed. The airplane reached about 300 feet agl when the engine lost power. The witnesses reported that the airplane pitched up in a nose high attitude, rolled left, and descended until ground impact about 90 degrees off runway heading. The airplane came to rest in an upright position, against the initial trees of a wooded area. The propeller was found under the right wing. One blade was bent aft 90 degrees with lengthwise scratching. The engine was test run, and no mechanical malfunction were found.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.