19970119047239A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 180J · Lopezisland, ES · January 19, 1997

Date: January 19, 1997 · 21:00 local
Place: Lopezisland, ES
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N42376
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA97LA050
Reported as: Cessna 180J
Fatal injuries: 0

N42376Registered now · Cessna 180JS/N 18052348 · Built 1973 Airframe modelCessna 180J 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.

(-16) At night, rain fog & low clouds, airplane t.o from decatur, island in fog o/a 200' altitude, destination, monroe to the s.e. Cessna hit trees on center island to the s.w. of decatur. Windshield broken, engine lost power after aircraft hit trees. The aircraft couldn't maintain altitude, went into the water & sunk. The pilot left the airplane through his door & sunk. The pilot left the airplane through his door & his companion got out with a mag lite in hand and exited through her window. A man on center island heard the crash and alone with (2) other men rescued the pilot & pax via boat after spotting the flashlight beam from the water. The people were in the water o/a 13 minutes without life preservers. Minor injuries-passenger-no injuries-pilot.

As the FAA filed it

(-16) AT NIGHT, RAIN FOG & LOW CLOUDS, AIRPLANE T.O FROM DECATUR, ISLAND IN FOG O/A 200' ALTITUDE, DESTINATION, MONROE TO THE S.E. CESSNA HIT TREES ON CENTER ISLAND TO THE S.W. OF DECATUR. WINDSHIELD BROKEN, ENGINE LOST POWER AFTER AIRCRAFT HIT TREES. THE AIRCRAFT COULDN'T MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, WENT INTO THE WATER & SUNK. THE PILOT LEFT THE AIRPLANE THROUGH HIS DOOR & SUNK. THE PILOT LEFT THE AIRPLANE THROUGH HIS DOOR & HIS COMPANION GOT OUT WITH A MAG LITE IN HAND AND EXITED THROUGH HER WINDOW. A MAN ON CENTER ISLAND HEARD THE CRASH AND ALONE WITH (2) OTHER MEN RESCUED THE PILOT & PAX VIA BOAT AFTER SPOTTING THE FLASHLIGHT BEAM FROM THE WATER. THE PEOPLE WERE IN THE WATER O/A 13 MINUTES WITHOUT LIFE PRESERVERS. MINOR INJURIES-PASSENGER-NO INJURIES-PILOT.

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 SEA97LA050Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLopez, WAThe pilot's improper decision to initiate flight into marginal VFR conditions at night which led to inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain. Factors contributing to the accident…Jan 20, 1997 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N42376 · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19840325026909IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Horseshoe Pond, MELanded on a snow covered frozen lake. Right ski broke the snow crust into a layer of slush.Mar 25, 1984 · Minor damage