Cessna 182T N843MC

Summary

On 13 September 2004 at about 02:16 local time, a Cessna 182T registered N843MC was involved in an accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, 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

13 September 2004 at 02:16

Classification

Accident

Location

Chesterfield, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Spirit of St Louis (SUS)

Coordinates

38.6511, -90.6842

Aircraft

Cessna 182T

Registration

N843MC

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Sikeston → Chesterfield

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CHI04FA257

4 people died.

The pilot not maintaining airspeed and the inadvertent stall he encountered during the go-around. A factor was the tree he impacted during his uncontrolled descent.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane was destroyed on impact with trees and terrain during an attempted go-around. A post impact fire occurred. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot representing the accident airplane informed the tower that he was 11 miles south of the airport and was inbound for landing on the north runway. The flight was cleared to land on runway 26R. The pilot informed the tower that he was going around. The flight was cleared to make right traffic for runway 26R. At approximately 2116, the pilot confirmed the clearance for right traffic. That was the last transmission received from the flight. The sheriff's report stated, "All of the witnesses stated they saw a low flying aircraft disappear behind the woods before hearing a loud crash and seeing an explosion, which lasted a brief period of time." The flaps were found extended to 25 degrees. An on-scene examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies. An excerpt from the airplane information manual stated, "BALKED LANDING 1. Power -- FULL THROTTLE and 2400 RPM. 2. Wing Flaps -- RETRACT TO 20". 3. Climb Speed -- 55 KIAS. 4. Wing Flaps -- RETRACT slowly after reaching a safe altitude and 70 KIAS. 5. Cowl Flaps -- OPEN." Plotted airplane radar track data showed that the airplane was climbing after its approach. The plot showed the airplane at 550 feet MSL at 2115:47, at about the end of runway 26R. The airplane's highest recorded altitude during that climb was 1050 feet MSL at 2116:33, about a mile west of runway 26R. The next plotted return showed the airplane at 950 feet MSL at 2116:38. The accident site was plotted and it was about a tenth of a mile north of the last return. The pilot's instructor informed management at the flight school that "I endorsed [the pilot ] because he did meet all of the standards for the practical test and he passed his Part 141 Graduation ride. I am writing you because even though [he] performed well on his Grad and will pass his practical test, I am worried about his complacent attitude toward flying and expressing my concern for his safety post check ride."

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.