Cessna 180 N9140C

Summary

On 28 March 1998 at about 19:25 local time, a Cessna 180 registered N9140C, operated by John J. Cossette, was involved in an accident near Whitewood, South Dakota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 March 1998 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Whitewood, South Dakota, United States

Coordinates

44.4591, -103.6405

Aircraft

Cessna 180

Registration

N9140C

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

John J. Cossette

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spear Fish → Walker

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI98LA109

1 person had minor injuries.

failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from obstructions (wires) during an approach for a precautionary landing. Factors associated with the accident were: the pilot's inadequate evaluation of the weather conditions, low ceilings, icing conditions, and the wires which were contacted.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported he was flying between cloud layers at 7,500 feet msl, when the airplane started to accumulate airframe ice. He reversed his direction to return to Spear Fish, South Dakota, but the weather continued to deteriorate. He decided to make an off-airport landing in a field. The pilot reported that he circled the field two times. On the third pass, while on final approach, the airplane contacted the lower line of a dual set of wires. The airplane then nosed down and impacted the terrain prior to nosing over inverted.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.