20170923019789A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna TR182 · Thief River Fal, MN · September 23, 2017

Date: September 23, 2017 · 07:45 local
Place: Thief River Fal, MN
Airport: Thief River Falls Regional
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N4777T
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN17FA361
Reported as: Cessna TR182
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-540 series
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 814 total235 in this make and model17 in the last 90 days

N4777TRegistration cancelled Mar 15, 2018 · Cessna TR182S/N R18201763 · Built 1981 Airframe modelCessna TR182 Engine modelLycoming 0-540 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.

The flight departed Thief River Falls airport (ktvf) between approximately 1230Z and 1240Z under visual flight rules with reported ceilings of overcast at 400 feet. At approximately 1241Z the aircraft was observed on radar at 2900? MSL approximately 2.95 nautical miles to the west of the departure end of runway 31 at ktvf on a heading of 064 degrees. The radar track shows the aircraft level at 2900? MSL in a right turn with an increasing rate of turn for approximately 34 seconds before the radar track is lost with the aircraft showing a last heading of 170 degrees and a turn rate of 5.33 degrees per second at 2900?MSL. At approximately 1245Z the aircraft impacted a plowed field with an elevation of 1104? MSL approximately 2.66 miles west of the departure end of ktvf runway 31 on a heading of approximately 060.

The aircraft impacted the ground with a high velocity in a right wing low attitude. The aircraft was destroyed by the impact. There was a post-crash fire.

As the FAA filed it

THE FLIGHT DEPARTED THIEF RIVER FALLS AIRPORT (KTVF) BETWEEN APPROXIMATELY 1230Z AND 1240Z UNDER VISUAL FLIGHT RULES WITH REPORTED CEILINGS OF OVERCAST AT 400 FEET. AT APPROXIMATELY 1241Z THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED ON RADAR AT 2900? MSL APPROXIMATELY 2.95 NAUTICAL MILES TO THE WEST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 31 AT KTVF ON A HEADING OF 064 DEGREES. THE RADAR TRACK SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT LEVEL AT 2900? MSL IN A RIGHT TURN WITH AN INCREASING RATE OF TURN FOR APPROXIMATELY 34 SECONDS BEFORE THE RADAR TRACK IS LOST WITH THE AIRCRAFT SHOWING A LAST HEADING OF 170 DEGREES AND A TURN RATE OF 5.33 DEGREES PER SECOND AT 2900?MSL. AT APPROXIMATELY 1245Z THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A PLOWED FIELD WITH AN ELEVATION OF 1104? MSL APPROXIMATELY 2.66 MILES WEST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF KTVF RUNWAY 31 ON A HEADING OF APPROXIMATELY 060.

THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND WITH A HIGH VELOCITY IN A RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT. THERE WAS A POST-CRASH FIRE.

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 CEN17FA361Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportThief River Falls, MNThe noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to depart into instrument meteorological conditions, and his subsequent loss of control due to spatial disorientation.Sep 23, 2017 · Destroyed