Cessna 182 N8889X

Summary

On 3 April 2017 at about 03:00 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N8889X was involved in an accident near Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States. 3 people were on board and 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

3 April 2017 at 03:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Blue Earth, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Blue Earth Muni (SBU)

Coordinates

43.5953, -94.0928

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N8889X

Category

Airplane

Year built

1961

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

St Paul → Blue Earth

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

GAA17CA215

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's decision to continue the night, visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain while on final approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper use of an electronic flight bag.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while approaching the destination airport in night, marginal visual meteorological conditions, he turned on the pilot-controlled runway lights. He added that he began a descent to the runway without observing the runway lights or airport and encountered "ground fog" about 200 to 300 ft above ground level (agl). He further added that he continued the descent to the runway while referencing the navigational moving map and GPS altitude on his electronic flight bag (EFB) application ForeFlight. Subsequently, while in a left turn, the airplane impacted terrain about 1 nautical mile south of the runway. The left wing, firewall, and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. He added that, while en route, he reset his airplane-installed barometric pressure altimeter to the GPS altitude indicated on his EFB, which resulted in a "300 ft. error." An automated weather observing station, about 14 nautical miles west of the accident airport, recorded visibility at 2 1/2 statute miles, light rain, mist, and an overcast cloud ceiling at 300 ft agl.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.