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20040110004189A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 182P · Baudette, MN · January 10, 2004

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
January 10, 2004 · 17:45 local
Place
Baudette, MN
Airport
Baudette International Airport
Phase of flight
Normal Cruise
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N5787J
NTSB investigation
NTSBCHI04FA055
Reported as
Cessna 182P
Reported engine
Continental O470S
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Pilot’s flight hours
122 total79 in this make and model45 in the last 90 days
N5787JRegistration cancelled Nov 1, 2006 · Cessna 182PS/N 18263535 · Built 1975Airframe modelCessna 182PEngine 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.

(-23) Aircraft N5787J departed Baudette, MN on 01-10-04 approximately 1745 CST. Based on witness reports, the PIC and passenger's planned destination was anoka, MN. Flight plan was not filed and a weather briefing was not obtained by the PIC. ASOS at field reported visibility of 5 statute miles in mist and sky condition of 800 feet overcast, temperature of 25F at approximate time of departure. Witness reports stated, snowing and freezing on the windshield of the car when PIC and passenger were dropped off at the airport. Aircraft was discovered approximately 7.5 miles southwest of Baudette, MN airport. Two fatalities (PIC and passenger) as a result of impact with terrain and aircraft was destroyed. PIC decided to takeoff during snow/freezing drizzle in the dark, VFR and total of 122 flight hours. PIC, charles anthony mertens received his private pilot license 10/03. Passenger, privacy data omitted was not a pilot. The wreckage at the site was scattered approximately 350 feet from northeast to southwest from the initial point of impact. The evidence indicates the aircraft impacted in an angle at a high speed at a high power setting.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT N5787J DEPARTED BAUDETTE, MN ON 01-10-04 APPROXIMATELY 1745 CST. BASED ON WITNESS REPORTS, THE PIC AND PASSENGER'S PLANNED DESTINATION WAS ANOKA, MN. FLIGHT PLAN WAS NOT FILED AND A WEATHER BRIEFING WAS NOT OBTAINED BY THE PIC. ASOS AT FIELD REPORTED VISIBILITY OF 5 STATUTE MILES IN MIST AND SKY CONDITION OF 800 FEET OVERCAST, TEMPERATURE OF 25F AT APPROXIMATE TIME OF DEPARTURE. WITNESS REPORTS STATED, SNOWING AND FREEZING ON THE WINDSHIELD OF THE CAR WHEN PIC AND PASSENGER WERE DROPPED OFF AT THE AIRPORT. AIRCRAFT WAS DISCOVERED APPROXIMATELY 7.5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF BAUDETTE, MN AIRPORT. TWO FATALITIES (PIC AND PASSENGER) AS A RESULT OF IMPACT WITH TERRAIN AND AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. PIC DECIDED TO TAKEOFF DURING SNOW/FREEZING DRIZZLE IN THE DARK, VFR AND TOTAL OF 122 FLIGHT HOURS. PIC, CHARLES ANTHONY MERTENS RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT LICENSE 10/03. PASSENGER, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WAS NOT A PILOT. THE WRECKAGE AT THE SITE WAS SCATTERED APPROXIMATELY 350 FEET FROM NORTHEAST TO SOUTHWEST FROM THE INITIAL POINT OF IMPACT. THE EVIDENCE INDICATES THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN AN ANGLE AT A HIGH SPEED AT A HIGH POWER SETTING.

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 CHI04FA055Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBaudette, MNThe pilot's intentional flight into adverse weather conditions, and his failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of an instrument rating, low ceiling, low altitude, and the dark night conditions.Jan 11, 2004 · Destroyed

Other reports on N5787J · 1

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

Accident 19820802056929AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Abbeville, LAEngine quit on ferry flight. Flipped over on forced landing in a field with tall grass. Cause of power loss unknownAug 2, 1982 · Substantial damage