Cessna 182P N1986M

Summary

On 23 November 2009 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 182P registered N1986M was involved in an accident near Kewanee, Illinois, United States. 3 people were on board and one died, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 November 2009 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Kewanee, Illinois, United States

Nearest airport

Kewanee Municipal Airport (EZI)

Coordinates

41.1944, -89.9603

Aircraft

Cessna 182P

Registration

N1986M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kewanee → Memphis

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

CEN10FA057

1 person died.

The pilot's decision to initiate a visual night flight without recent night flight experience and his failure to maintain altitude during departure.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that on the inbound flight he had to divert to an alternate airport due to adverse weather at his intended destination. After picking up a passenger he departed the alternate airport to the east and the airplane crashed into a farm field about 0.5 miles south of the airport on a westerly heading. The pilot reported that the sky was clear and visibility was 3 to 4 miles. Weather reports for nearby airports listed visibilities between 3 and 5 miles. The flight was initiated and the accident occurred at night. The pilot's most recent night flight was more than 2 years before the accident flight. The recent flight experience requirements of 14 Code of Federal Regulations 61.57 state that, in order to act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during night flight, the pilot must have made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed no preimpact defects with regard to the airplane, its engine, or control system.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.