Cessna 177RG N2526V

Summary

On 11 November 2008 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna 177RG registered N2526V, operated by Jerry L. Smith, was involved in an accident near Mena, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 November 2008 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mena, Arkansas, United States

Nearest airport

Mena Intermountain (MEZ)

Coordinates

34.6694, -94.3181

Aircraft

Cessna 177RG

Registration

N2526V

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Jerry L. Smith

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Willlow Springs → San Antonio

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA054

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's continued flight into deteriorating weather conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was en-route to a business engagement and was flying in an area of deteriorating weather conditions. The airplane impacted a mountain ridge in instrument meteorological conditions and was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. A witness, located approximately one mile north of the accident site, heard the sounds of impact and described “very foggy” conditions with a visibility of 50 feet. Another witness driving along the highway on the mountain ridge was in “dense fog” with visibility of 1/4 mile. The witness saw the wreckage on the side of the highway with the airplane fully involved in fire. The witness said the pilot was unbelted and almost completely outside the airplane. Because of the flames the witness said he was unable to get close enough to move the pilot. An examination of the airframe and engine showed no evidence of a preexisting anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. The report of the medical examiner noted the pilot’s cause of death as “Hypertensive Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.” The pilot apparently died of a pre-existing natural disease during his attempt to extricate himself from the wreckage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.