Cessna 182E N9340X

Summary

On 27 May 1992 at about 22:45 local time, a Cessna 182E registered N9340X, operated by Sailplane Enterprises, Inc., was involved in an accident near Lone Pine, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 May 1992 at 22:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Lone Pine, California, United States

Nearest airport

Lone Pine (O26)

Coordinates

36.5607, -118.0504

Aircraft

Cessna 182E

Registration

N9340X

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Sailplane Enterprises, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA221

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S ENCOUNTER WITH A SUDDEN AND STRONG QUARTERING TAILWIND AFTER LANDING ON A SHORT DIRT RUNWAY, AND THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO SELECT THE OTHER AIRPORT RUNWAY, WHICH WAS LONGER AND MORE ALIGNED WITH THE WIND, FOR THE APPROACH AND LANDING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 31 IS OBSTRUCTED BY POWER LINES, TREES AND A MOTEL. THE STANDARD PROCEDURE IS TO DEPART ON RWY 13 AND LAND ON RWY 31. THE FIRST 1,000 FT OF RWY 13 IS COVERED WITH A CHEMICAL MIXTURE TO PREVENT DUST. THIS MIXTURE FORMS A CRUST, AND, WITH BLOWN SAND ON IT, THE RWY BECOMES SLIPPERY. WHILE IN THE PATTERN FOR RWY 31, THE PILOT SAID THE WINDS WERE SSE AT 5 TO 10 KNOTS. AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE APPARENT GROUND SPEED INCREASED WHILE THE INDICATED AIRSPEED RAPIDLY DECREASED CONCURRENT WITH A RIGHT DRIFT, INDICATING A SUDDEN AND STRONG LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND. AT THE HALFWAY POINT, THE INDICATED AIRSPEED WAS INSUFFICIENT TO GO AROUND WHILE THE POOR BRAKING ACTION WAS NOT STOPPING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT SAID HE REALIZED THE AIRCRAFT WAS GOING TO OVER RUN THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO TURN INTO THE TREE LINE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AND A MOTEL FENCE. A LONGER RUNWAY MORE ALIGNED WITH THE WIND DIRECTION WAS AVAILABLE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.