Cessna 182 N5595B

Summary

On 27 April 2003 at about 17:00 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N5595B was involved in an accident near McCall, Idaho, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

27 April 2003 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

McCall, Idaho, United States

Coordinates

45.0267, -115.9828

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N5595B

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Caldwell → Copenhaver

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA03LA074

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions while maneuvering in the area of rapidly growing cumulus clouds. Factors include the pilot's improper decision to try to out-climb the rising clouds, mountainous terrain, falling snow, icing conditions, and no suitable place on which to make a precautionary landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While en route to Copenhaver Ranch Airstrip, the pilot entered an area of rapidly building cumulus clouds. Although he climbed to 14,500 feet in order to attempt to fly over the top of the clouds, he found that the clouds were building faster than the aircraft could climb. He therefore inadvertently entered the cloud formation and soon encountered icing conditions. As ice began to accumulate on the aircraft, the pilot entered a rapid dive to about 9,000 feet, but when he leveled off ice continued to accumulate, and the pilot felt the aircraft was near stalling. About that time he saw an opening in the clouds and observed what he thought was Box Lake. He therefore descended through the hole and found himself in a heavy snowstorm over the lake. He flew around the lake a few times, but could not find a way to escape the instrument conditions. Then, because more ice was accumulating, the pilot made the decision to attempt a precautionary landing near the shoreline of the Lake. During the touchdown on snow that was ultimately determined to be more than ten feet thick, the aircraft collided with hidden obstructions and flipped over. The pilot was ultimately rescued two days later by snowmobilers who inadvertently came across the wreckage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.