Cessna 182L N182NS

Summary

On 4 December 2021 at about 00:23 local time, a Cessna 182L registered N182NS was involved in an accident near Bonnerdale, Arkansas, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 December 2021 at 00:23

Classification

Accident

Location

Bonnerdale, Arkansas, United States

Coordinates

34.3448, -93.3598

Aircraft

Cessna 182L

Registration

N182NS

Category

Airplane

Year built

1968

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minden → Clarksville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN22FA058

1 person died.

The noninstrument rated pilot’s improper decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident airplane was the lead airplane in a flight of two that departed for a cross-country flight. The non-instrument rated pilot of the second airplane stated that he took off behind the non-instrument rated accident pilot and described the weather as “already sketchy.” He was able to see the ground, but there was no forward visibility. About 20 minutes into the flight and prior to reaching a designated alternate airport, they were in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Both pilots were communicating via radio transmissions while in flight and they decided not to divert to the alternate because the accident pilot told him that he thought the clouds would clear up and they should continue to the destination. As the flight continued, both airplanes remained at the same altitude and the second pilot reported that he was “in full IMC.” He stated that he glanced down at his phone to check his flightpath and saw the track information from the accident airplane had turned and was on a southeast heading. Unable to reach the accident pilot on the radio, he continued ahead. About 30 seconds later, he received a 500 ft altitude warning and initiated an immediate climb with full power. Although the route of flight had both airplanes traveling on a northerly heading, the accident airplane impacted rising terrain from the north on a southeasterly heading. A postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Although toxicology testing detected Quetiapine, a prescription medication that can be potentially mentally and physically impairing, in the pilot’s liver and muscle tissues, detected concentrations were low, and it is likely that any blood concentration would have been well below therapeutic levels. Therefore, it is unlikely that effects from the pilot’s use of the medication contributed to the accident. Additionally, given the absence of ethanol in vitreous fluid and the detection of a low level of ethanol and methanol in only one tissue type, it is likely that the identified ethanol was from sources other than ingestion. Based on the wreckage fragmentation, which was consistent with a high-speed impact, and the chase pilot’s report of IMC, it is likely that the accident pilot experienced spatial disorientation and lost airplane control.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.