Cessna 182P N21408

Summary

On 22 February 2003 at about 20:42 local time, a Cessna 182P registered N21408 was involved in an accident near So. Charleston, West Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 February 2003 at 20:42

Classification

Accident

Location

So. Charleston, West Virginia, United States

Nearest airport

Mallory (WV12)

Coordinates

38.3350, -81.7317

Aircraft

Cessna 182P

Registration

N21408

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ravenswood → So. Charleston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC03LA054

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to perform a go-around prior to touchdown. Factors in the accident were the rising terrain and tail wind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot planned to fly from the departure airport, to another airport, and return. After takeoff the pilot noted a 30-knot tailwind during the first leg of the flight. He landed uneventfully, refueled, and then departed for the 40 minute return flight to the origination airport. Arriving at the origination airport, he obtained the ATIS from a nearby airport which reported the wind to be from 160 degrees at 9 knots. The pilot entered the downwind for runway 33, a 2,000 foot long, 24 foot wide asphalt runway, and selected full flaps. During the downwind leg the pilot note it was "rough and bouncy," and when he was on his base leg, the wind was pushing him towards the airport. The pilot also said that while on final, the winds were pushing him towards the left of the runway and he tried to correct with rudder, but due to the severe winds he had no positive rudder action at first. Then the rudder "kicked in," but still the winds were very strong. As the pilot initiated the flare, he could feel the airplane yaw to the right and start to float down the runway. He added "full left" rudder, and got the airplane back over the centerline. The airplane then yawed "hard" to the left, and the pilot responded with "full right" rudder. One of the wheels touched down about the middle of the runway, and at that same point, the pilot decided to abort the landing. He added full throttle, turned the carburetor heat OFF, and raised the flaps to the takeoff position. The pilot recalled that the airspeed was below the "green arc," and that the airplane was climbing, but at an insufficient rate to clear the trees and power lines at the far end of the runway, so he aimed for a small opening between some trees. The airplane struck trees and came to rest upside down. The pilot stated he had conducted several hundred takeoffs and landings at the accident airport over the past several years. The airport had one runway, 15/33, and under operational restrictions it stated, "Land to the North." The airport was constructed on a hill, with the high ground to the north and northwest. Winds reported at a nearby airport were from 150 degrees at 13 knots, gusting to 19 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.