Cessna 182 N1242M

Summary

On 16 October 2024 at about 16:15 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N1242M was involved in an accident near East Ellijay, Georgia, United States. 4 people were on board and 3 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 October 2024 at 16:15

Classification

Accident

Location

East Ellijay, Georgia, United States

Nearest airport

Gilmer County (49A)

Coordinates

34.6245, -84.5315

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N1242M

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alexander City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA25LA017

3 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s inadequate compensation for winds during landing., which resulted in a loss of control and an aerodynamic stall.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot/owner stated that he checked the winds when he was more than 15 miles from the destination airport and again while established on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern. He said the automated weather observing system (AWOS) reported the winds were from 020°at 9 knots “with no gusts” and that he was landing on Runway 03. When over the runway threshold, the nose dropped “due to a decrease in headwind” so the pilot initiated a go-around. After applying “full” engine power and while configuring the airplane for the go-around, an “extreme perpendicular crosswind from the west blew the airplane into the path of trees lining the runway.” The pilot said he pulled back on the yoke to clear the trees, the right wing stalled, and the airplane landed hard in a flat attitude resulting in substantial damage and igniting a fire in the engine compartment. Three of the four occupants egressed the airplane with minor injuries while one occupant emerged uninjured. The pilot reported there were no preimpact anomalies or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. Examination of the AWOS information reported at the airport 15 minutes before arrival revealed winds from 020° at 11 knots gusting to 19 knots. At the time of the accident, winds were reported to be from 040° at 12 knots gusting to 19 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.