Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182 near Clinton, MT — 2016-08-28

Final reportWPR16FA170
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Date
2016-08-28
Location
Clinton, MT, USA
Airport
RC0
Aircraft
CESSNA 182
Registration
N9936T
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Fatal
Fatalities
2
Phase of flight
Approach

Probable cause

The sudden right turn on approach to landing for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB narrative

The private pilot was conducting a local flight in the airplane, which he was planning to purchase. A witness saw the airplane initially overfly the runway from east to west, then turn back to the east and onto a right downwind for landing to the west on runway 25; the witness, who was a pilot, reported that the wind was directly down the runway about 8 knots. When the airplane was on a short final approach about 15 ft above the runway, it suddenly turned 90° to the right, in what the witness estimated was a bank angle of about 30° to 40°. The airplane continued at a low altitude toward the north perimeter of the airport where it impacted a stand of trees, then proceeded through the trees before coming to rest upright on the south shoulder of an interstate highway. Shortly thereafter, a postcrash fire erupted and consumed the airplane. A postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The reason for the sudden right turn while on short final approach could not be determined during the investigation.

Analysis

Primary failure mode
Loss of control
First missed decision gate
Pilot could have aborted landing when the airplane turned unexpectedly.

NTSB coding

Evidence available

  • Photos
  • 11 docket documents
View NTSB final reportView NTSB docket

Docket documents11

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