Cessna 182C N8957T

Summary

On 30 August 2010 at about 13:56 local time, a Cessna 182C registered N8957T, operated by Ikarus Aviation, LLC., was involved in an accident near Belgrade, Montana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

30 August 2010 at 13:56

Classification

Accident

Location

Belgrade, Montana, United States

Nearest airport

Bozeman Gallatin Field (KBZN)

Coordinates

45.6839, -111.2622

Aircraft

Cessna 182C

Registration

N8957T

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Ikarus Aviation, LLC.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ogden → Bozeman

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR10FA438

1 person died.

The non-instrument rated pilot's decision to continue visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The non-instrument rated pilot departed for a cross-country flight with weather forecasts along the route of flight and destination airport predicting widespread areas of ceilings below 1,000 feet and visibilities below 3 miles in rain showers. Mountain obscuration in clouds and precipitation was also forecasted. Weather reports from the closest airport about 8 miles from the accident site showed rapidly changing visibility and cloud coverage conditions, with ceilings as low as 500 feet and visibility of 1 mile in heavy rain showers at the time of the accident. Several witnesses were located within a 5-mile radius of the accident site and either heard or saw the accident airplane. Two witnesses reported observing the accident airplane seconds prior to observing it disappear from their view and impacting the ground. One witness saw the airplane descending vertically to ground impact. Other witnesses only heard what they described as the loud engine sound of a very low flying airplane. Witnesses reported that, at the time of their observation, there were low clouds overhead about 200 feet above ground level and light rain was falling. Postaccident examination of the accident site and wreckage revealed that the airplane impacted into an open field while in a near vertical nose down attitude. It is likely that the pilot entered into instrument meteorological conditions and failed to maintain airplane control. There was no record of official weather briefings, but the pilot may have obtained an unofficial weather brief from another source for the flight. Examination of the airframe and engine revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.