19830909048129A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 182N · Kalispell, MT · September 9, 1983

Date: September 9, 1983 · 12:50 local
Place: Kalispell, MT
Phase of flight: Unknown/Not Reported
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N92368
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA83FA208
Reported as: Cessna 182N
Reported engine: Continental O470R
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,200 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N92368Registration cancelled Nov 24, 2014 · Cessna 182NS/N 18260174 · Built 1969 Airframe modelCessna 182N Engine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Aircraft disappeared from radar 13 miles east of Kalispell VOR. Aircraft has not been located. (-23) accident pilot was reported to be in an area of intense thunderstorm activity and was attempting to return over the mountains, back to the Kalispell airport. The accident site was located near the bottom of a steep, heavily treed, ravine. Two pine trees were missing their tops at approx. 30 feet from ground level and one contained a piece of left wing tip. The main wreckage was 30 feet and on a bearing of 050 from the two, topped, trees. The engine and fuselage were in-line on a bearing of 310. The engine was impacted in the ground at approx. 80 degrees nose down. Cabin area fire was evident. Remains of the wings, lift struts, and flight control surfaces were found in their approximate respective positions. Note: this aircraft had been reported as "missing" since last contact with the pilot was made on 9 September, 1983. Hikers in the area discovered the wreckage in August 2002.

As the FAA filed it

AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR 13 MILES EAST OF KALISPELL VOR. AIRCRAFT HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED. (-23) ACCIDENT PILOT WAS REPORTED TO BE IN AN AREA OF INTENSE THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AND WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN OVER THE MOUNTAINS, BACK TO THE KALISPELL AIRPORT. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED NEAR THE BOTTOM OF A STEEP, HEAVILY TREED, RAVINE. TWO PINE TREES WERE MISSING THEIR TOPS AT APPROX. 30 FEET FROM GROUND LEVEL AND ONE CONTAINED A PIECE OF LEFT WING TIP. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS 30 FEET AND ON A BEARING OF 050 FROM THE TWO, TOPPED, TREES. THE ENGINE AND FUSELAGE WERE IN-LINE ON A BEARING OF 310. THE ENGINE WAS IMPACTED IN THE GROUND AT APPROX. 80 DEGREES NOSE DOWN. CABIN AREA FIRE WAS EVIDENT. REMAINS OF THE WINGS, LIFT STRUTS, AND FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES WERE FOUND IN THEIR APPROXIMATE RESPECTIVE POSITIONS. NOTE: THIS AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REPORTED AS "MISSING" SINCE LAST CONTACT WITH THE PILOT WAS MADE ON 9 SEPTEMBER, 1983. HIKERS IN THE AREA DISCOVERED THE WRECKAGE IN AUGUST 2002.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA83FA208Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportKalispell, MTThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the terrain while attempting to maneuver back to the departure airport after encountering icing conditions. Factors include icing conditions, mountainous terrain, and low ceilings.Sep 9, 1983 · Destroyed