Cessna 182 N2198G

Summary

On 8 July 2024 at about 01:07 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N2198G, operated by Airstar Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Rutherfordton, North Carolina, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 July 2024 at 01:07

Classification

Accident

Location

Rutherfordton, North Carolina, United States

Coordinates

35.5294, -81.9158

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N2198G

Category

Airplane

Year built

1958

Engines

1

Operator

Airstar Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mountain City → Rutherford

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

ERA24FA294

3 people died.

The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from clouds, resulting in controlled flight into terrain due to mountain obscuration.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot believed that inclement weather had already passed his intended destination airport before he departed on the visual flight rules flight. While enroute, the airplane caught up with the back side of the storm and became surrounded by cloud cover. ADS-B data indicated the pilot performed two right 360° turns. During the second of these right 360° turns, a passenger texted photos of the weather surrounding the airplane to a family member. The airplane continued flying south for about 1 minute and began a third right 360° turn while initially climbing and then descending to an altitude of 1,700 ft above mean sea level (msl), about 300 ft above ground level (agl). Toward the end of the flight, the airplane encountered rising terrain due to a mountain in the flight path that was likely obscured by clouds. The pilot deviated to the left, then started another climbing right 360° turn before descending. Based on reported weather conditions at the time of the accident, the pilot likely climbed into instrument meteorological conditions in close proximity to the mountain. The final turn arced toward the mountain and began a descent until the airplane struck the mountain in a wings-level, nose-low attitude at an elevation of 2,000 ft msl. Review of the pilot’s logbooks revealed that, even though he was instrument rated, he did not have the required currency. Available specimens for ethanol testing were limited to a brain tissue specimen and a liver tissue specimen. Ethanol was detected in only one of these specimens, in which n-propanol was also present, consistent with postmortem microbial activity. Considering this evidence in context of the pilot’s extensive injuries, it is likely that the detected ethanol was from postmortem sources rather than alcohol consumption. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.