# Accident 19971122041119A: Cessna 182P, Opa Locka, FL, November 22, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 22, 1997, 18:15 local time
- Place: Opa Locka, FL
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 25.9000° N, 80.2552° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Opa-locka, FL, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=25.9000&lon=-80.2552&mi=10
- Aircraft: N45834, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N45834-2003-09-10) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182P (registry code 2075816, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182P
- Reported engine: CONT O470S
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 440 total, 415 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL98LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA013) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971122041119A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ATL98LA013](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL98LA013), Nov 22, 1997: Cessna 182P (N45834), Opa Locka, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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