Cessna A185F N1577B

Summary

On 30 May 2002 at about 22:50 local time, a Cessna A185F registered N1577B, operated by Robert E. Fulton, was involved in an accident near Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania, 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

30 May 2002 at 22:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania, United States

Coordinates

41.7233, -75.3128

Aircraft

Cessna A185F

Registration

N1577B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Robert E. Fulton

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Auburn → Oxford

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC02FA106

2 people died.

The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in overstress of the aircraft. A factor was the thunderstorm activity.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft was at cruise flight at 11,000 feet with an instrument rated private pilot and passenger aboard. Thunderstorms and convective activity were in the area. The pilot elected to continue toward the weather, and requested to deviate around it, but did not specify a direction. After receiving permission for the deviation, the airplane first turned left while maintaining altitude, and then turned right greater than 90 degrees, and descended. The last radar contact was at 9,300 feet, after which radio and radar contact was lost. Witnesses on the ground observed the airplane in a descent estimated to be between 30 and 45 degrees nose down, below the base of the clouds, and could hear the engine operating. The witnesses observed the airplane come apart, while operating clear of clouds. One witness reported the descent started to shallow just prior to the airplane coming apart. The debris trail to the impact crater was 1,033 feet long, and it extended an additional 486 feet beyond the impact crater. The horizontal stabilizer and wings had downward bending on their spars. One propeller blade was found in the main impact crater, separated from the propeller hub, with "S" bending on the leading and trailing edges of the blade.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.