ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 45540
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| Date: | Thursday 30 May 2002 |
| Time: | 18:50 |
| Type: |  Cessna A185F Skywagon |
| Owner/operator: | Robert E. Fulton |
| Registration: | N1577B |
| MSN: | 18503015 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1976 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 4470 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 2 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Pleasant Mount, PA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | En route |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | DeKalb County Airport, IN (07C) |
| Oxford-Waterbury Airport, CT (OXC/KOXC) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
On May 30, 2002, about 1850 eastern daylight time, a Cessna A185F, N1577B, was destroyed when it impacted terrain in Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot, a passenger, and a dog were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the business flight that originated from DeKalb County Airport (07C), Auburn, Indiana. The flight was conducted on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan under 14 CFR Part 91.
The aircraft was at cruise flight at 11,000 feet with an instrument rated private pilot and passenger aboard. Thunderstorms and convective activity were in the area. The pilot elected to continue toward the weather, and requested to deviate around it, but did not specify a direction. After receiving permission for the deviation, the airplane first turned left while maintaining altitude, and then turned right greater than 90 degrees, and descended. The last radar contact was at 9,300 feet, after which radio and radar contact was lost. Witnesses on the ground observed the airplane in a descent estimated to be between 30 and 45 degrees nose down, below the base of the clouds, and could hear the engine operating. The witnesses observed the airplane come apart, while operating clear of clouds. One witness reported the descent started to shallow just prior to the airplane coming apart. The debris trail to the impact crater was 1,033 feet long, and it extended an additional 486 feet beyond the impact crater. The horizontal stabilizer and wings had downward bending on their spars. One propeller blade was found in the main impact crater, separated from the propeller hub, with "S" bending on the leading and trailing edges of the blade.
Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in overstress of the aircraft. A factor was the thunderstorm activity.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB: https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20020611X00846&key=1
Location
Images:
Photo: NTSB
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 28-Oct-2008 00:45 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 09-Dec-2017 16:40 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Operator, Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Dec-2023 18:57 | Captain Adam | Updated [Aircraft type, Departure airport, Destination airport, Narrative, Accident report, Photo] |
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