# Accident 19980328004519A: Cessna 180, Whitewood, SD, March 28, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 28, 1998, 12:25 local time
- Place: Whitewood, SD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 44.4591° N, 103.6405° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4591&lon=-103.6405&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9140C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9140C-2013-07-15) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 180 (registry code 2072602, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-180) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 180
- Reported engine: CONT O470J
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 6,436 total, 848 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA109) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980328004519A

## Narrative

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

STRUCK ELECTRICAL WIRES AND THEN IMPACTED TERRAIN WHILE ATTEMPTING TO EVAD E DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS FLYING BETWEEN CLOUD LAYERS AT 7,500 FEET MSL, WHEN THE AIRPLANE STARTED TO ACCUMULATE AIRFRAME ICE. HE REVERSED HIS DIRECTION TO RETURN TO SPEAR FISH, SOUTH DAKOTA, BUT THE WEATHER CONTINUED TO DETERIORATE. HE DECIDED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE CIRCLED THE FIELD TWO TIMES. ON THE THIRD PASS, WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE CONTACTED THE LOWER LINE OF A DUAL SET OF WIRES. THE AIRPLANE THEN NOSED DOWN AND IMPACTED THE TERRAIN PRIOR TO NOSING OVER INVERTED.                                                              (-23) DEPARTED FROM SPEARFISH, SD, VFR FOR MINNESOTA AT 1200 MST.  APPROXIMATELY 8 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, BEGAN ACCUMULATING ICE ON AIRFRAME, 7,500 FEET MSL, BETWEEN LAYERS, TURNED AROUND 180 DEGREES.  CLOUDS ACCUMULATING ON GROUND.  PIC DID NOT FEEL HE COULD REACH SPF DUE TO AIRFRAME ICING AND DETERIORATING WEATHER CONDITIONS.  HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD 8-9 MILES FROM WHITEWOOD, SD.  HE MADE TWO PASSES TO OBSERVE LAN                                       DING SITE. OBSERVED POWER LINES AND POLES RUNNING PARALLEL TO FIELD.  DURING FINAL APPROACH ON THIRD PASS, STRUCK TWO POWER LINES RUNNING PERPENDICU ALR TO LANDING.  RIGHT WING CONTACTED LINES, AIRCRAFT STALLED, HIT GROUND AND FLIPPED INVERTED.

## 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 CHI98LA109](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98LA109), Mar 28, 1998: Cessna 180 (N9140C), Whitewood, SD, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain clearance from obstructions (wires) during an approach for a precautionary landing. Factors associated with the accident were: the pilot's inadequate evaluation of…

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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