What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 2, 2012 at 1416 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182 single engine aircraft, N5981J, registered to the Michigan department of natural resources (dnr) and operated by an airline transport pilot, was destroyed when it impacted the threshold following an electrical fire while maneuvering to land on runway 11 at the Newberry airport, (ery). Visual meteorological conditions and gusty winds prevailed at the time of the accident. The patrol flight was being conducted for forest fire watch under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot was seriously injured. The local observation flight originated from the Newberry airport at approximately 1345 eastern daylight time. According to the pilot, he was at his cruising altitude of 4500FT when he smelled a faint electrical smell but saw no smoke. He radioed the Michigan department of natural resources dispatch and notified them that he was returning to Newberry as a precautionary measure. He noted that the ammeter and circuit breakers were all normal at this time and did not power down any systems. As he was approaching to land a large puff of smoke came from under the right side of the instrument panel near the main electrical buss. With this distraction and some moderate low level turbulence, he impacted the threshold of runway 11, 200FT short of the runway. The nose gear sheared off and the aircraft slid to a stop on the runway. The pilot was able to escape the post impact fire with 2nd degree burns to his arms and legs. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the ensuing fire. Weather report from ery airport at 1814 UTC was: wind 130 degrees at 11 knots gust to 15 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, 4400 bkn and altimeter 30.11.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 2, 2012 AT 1416 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A CESSNA 182 SINGLE ENGINE AIRCRAFT, N5981J, REGISTERED TO THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES (DNR) AND OPERATED BY AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT IMPACTED THE THRESHOLD FOLLOWING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE WHILE MANEUVERING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 11 AT THE NEWBERRY AIRPORT, (ERY). VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND GUSTY WINDS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PATROL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED FOR FOREST FIRE WATCH UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. THE LOCAL OBSERVATION FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE NEWBERRY AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 1345 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME.ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS AT HIS CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 4500FT WHEN HE SMELLED A FAINT ELECTRICAL SMELL BUT SAW NO SMOKE. HE RADIOED THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES DISPATCH AND NOTIFIED THEM THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO NEWBERRY AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE. HE NOTED THAT THE AMMETER AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE ALL NORMAL AT THIS TIME AND DID NOT POWER DOWN ANY SYSTEMS. AS HE WAS APPROACHING TO LAND A LARGE PUFF OF SMOKE CAME FROM UNDER THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE INSTRUMENT PANEL NEAR THE MAIN ELECTRICAL BUSS. WITH THIS DISTRACTION AND SOME MODERATE LOW LEVEL TURBULENCE, HE IMPACTED THE THRESHOLD OF RUNWAY 11, 200FT SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR SHEARED OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID TO A STOP ON THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO ESCAPE THE POST IMPACT FIRE WITH 2ND DEGREE BURNS TO HIS ARMS AND LEGS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED BY THE ENSUING FIRE.WEATHER REPORT FROM ERY AIRPORT AT 1814 UTC WAS: WIND 130 DEGREES AT 11 KNOTS GUST TO 15 KNOTS, VISIBILITY 10 STATUTE MILES, 4400 BKN AND ALTIMETER 30.11.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.