Cessna 182T N804GK

Summary

On 8 September 2010 at about 13:26 local time, a Cessna 182T registered N804GK, operated by Air Dandy LLC, was involved in an accident near Helena, Georgia, United States. 2 people were on board and one died, 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

8 September 2010 at 13:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Helena, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Telfair-Wheeler Airport (MQW)

Coordinates

32.1397, -82.8542

Aircraft

Cessna 182T

Registration

N804GK

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Air Dandy LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carrollton → McRae

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA10FA471

1 person died.

The pilot’s continuance of the GPS approach below the minimum descent altitude while landing in instrument meteorological conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was en route to an airport that did not have a control tower or weather reporting facilities. He checked weather at surrounding airports and informed the air traffic controller that he would need to fly the global positioning system (GPS) approach. Once cleared for the approach, no subsequent communication was received from the pilot. Radar data showed that the airplane intercepted the final approach segment and descended without leveling off at the minimum descent altitude. The airplane impacted trees and terrain about 2.74 miles from the runway, on a heading and course that were aligned with the runway. Although a pilot-rated passenger survived, he had no recollection of the accident flight. Witnesses reported that it was foggy at the time of the accident. Weather at nearby airports indicated that low ceilings and visibilities were prevalent in the area, with the weather gradually improving at the time of the accident. An examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. Postmortem toxicology testing on the fatally injured pilot noted elevated glucose levels in the vitreous fluid and urine, and an elevated hemoglobin A1c level in the blood, indicating that the pilot was likely diabetic with poorly-controlled blood sugar. While the investigation was unable to determine that the pilot was impaired, he had recently eaten and his blood sugar may have been high enough to impair his cognitive performance. Though there were no indications that the pilot was aware of his diabetes, a Federal Aviation Administration medical examination nearly 4 years before the accident had noted elevated urine and blood sugar without any additional follow-up required.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.