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19971122041119A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 182P · Opa Locka, FL · November 22, 1997

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
November 22, 1997 · 18:15 local
Place
Opa Locka, FL
Phase of flight
Final Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N45834
NTSB investigation
NTSBATL98LA013
Reported as
Cessna 182P
Reported engine
Continental O470S
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
440 total415 in this make and model3 in the last 90 days
N45834Registration cancelled Sep 10, 2003 · Cessna 182PS/N 18263897Airframe modelCessna 182P

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.

Departed VFR at night under low clouds intoimc. Collided with ground. W brief was lacking. Pilot poor judgement. (.4) according to the pilot, he was flying over the everglades in 'less than ideal conditions.' Darkness was falling, and he was unable to tell where the sky ended and the ground began. As he approached his destination, he saw 'low clouds' near the airport and began a descent to go under the clouds. During his descent, the airplane struck the ground. The pilot reported the last altimeter reading was 600 feet. The altimeter was set before departure. (-23) the pilot departed from lake placid, FL to an intended destination of Opa Locka, FL on a night VFR flight. At the time of his weather briefing, VFR was not recommened by pie fss. However, conditions were to improve. Approximately 20 miles nw of opf the pilot began a descent to avoid low clouds. The aircraft collided with the ground, and had substantial damage. The pilot received minor injuries. This incident report is closed.

As the FAA filed it

DEPARTED VFR AT NIGHT UNDER LOW CLOUDS INTOIMC. COLLIDED WITH GROUND. W BRIEF WAS LACKING. PILOT POOR JUDGEMENT. (.4) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS FLYING OVER THE EVERGLADES IN 'LESS THAN IDEAL CONDITIONS.' DARKNESS WAS FALLING, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO TELL WHERE THE SKY ENDED AND THE GROUND BEGAN. AS HE APPROACHED HIS DESTINATION, HE SAW 'LOW CLOUDS' NEAR THE AIRPORT AND BEGAN A DESCENT TO GO UNDER THE CLOUDS. DURING HIS DESCENT, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THE LAST ALTIMETER READING WAS 600 FEET. THE ALTIMETER WAS SET BEFORE DEPARTURE. (-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED FROM LAKE PLACID, FL TO AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF OPA LOCKA, FL ON A NIGHT VFR FLIGHT. AT THE TIME OF HIS WEATHER BRIEFING, VFR WAS NOT RECOMMENED BY PIE FSS. HOWEVER, CONDITIONS WERE TO IMPROVE. APPROXIMATELY 20 MILES NW OF OPF THE PILOT BEGAN A DESCENT TO AVOID LOW CLOUDS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, AND HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THIS INCIDENT REPORT IS CLOSED.

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 ATL98LA013Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportOpa Locka, FLthe pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions, and failure to maintain clearance above the ground while attempting a VFR approach to an airport with low clouds. The low clouds (ceiling) and condition of light at dusk were related factors.Nov 22, 1997 · Substantial damage