Cessna 182 N52743

Summary

On 25 March 2017 at about 20:00 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N52743, operated by Avcenter Inc., was involved in an accident near Mackay, Idaho, United States. 2 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

25 March 2017 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mackay, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

43.8469, -113.6847

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N52743

Category

Airplane

Year built

1974

Engines

1

Operator

Avcenter Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Nampa → Nampa

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA17CA202

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's decision to maneuver the airplane over mountainous terrain in high-density altitude conditions, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to maintain altitude or establish a climb.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while flying in mountainous terrain around 9,500 ft mean sea level (700 to 1,200 ft above the ground), the airplane encountered a downdraft. He added that he immediately turned away from the mountainside in a right turn, added full power, selected 10º of flaps, and pitched the nose up to maintain the airplane's maximum angle-of-climb airspeed (Vx). Subsequently, the airplane was unable to climb, and it then impacted wooded, snow-covered terrain along the mountainside. The fuselage and both wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The calculated density altitude near the flightpath was about 10,339 ft. According to the Federal Aviation Administration Koch Chart, the airplane would have experienced a 50% decrease to the normal climb rate. The high-density altitude conditions likely contributed to the airplane's inability to establish a climb.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.