Cessna TR182 N5136S

Summary

On 11 February 2002 at about 01:00 local time, a Cessna TR182 registered N5136S, operated by Russell W. Blaser, was involved in an accident near Cedar Key, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and 4 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 February 2002 at 01:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Cedar Key, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

George Lewis (KCDK)

Coordinates

29.1375, -83.0497

Aircraft

Cessna TR182

Registration

N5136S

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Russell W. Blaser

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cedar Key → Gainesville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA02FA059

4 people died.

the failure of the pilot to maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation resulting in the airplane descending and colliding with water. A factor in the accident was a dark night .

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness observed the airplane's lights, and heard the engine at full power after the airplane departed the runway. He saw the airplane turned left, at an angle of about 45 degrees, and then descend into the waters of the Gulf of Mexico about 1/4 mile from the airport. Witnesses described the weather as a dark night, with no stars visible, patches of fog, and light haze existed over the water. Recovery personnel reported seeing fog at the crash site about 1 hour after the accident. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any discrepancies with either the airframe, engine, engine components, or propeller.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.