# Accident 20180206002059A: Cessna 182T, Santee, CA, February 6, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 6, 2018, 06:50 local time
- Place: Santee, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.8167° N, 116.9833° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8167&lon=-116.9833&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3525T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3525T-2019-06-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182T (registry code 2072703, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182T
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 276 total, 57 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR18FA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA084) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180206002059A

## Narrative

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

THE PILOT DEPARTED GILLESPIE FIELD (SEE) WITH HIS WIFE AND TWO DOGS ONBOARD PRIOR TO THE CONTROL TOWER OPERATING HOURS. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTURE, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO AN INDUSTRIAL WINDOW STOCK YARD, APPROXIMATELY 1600 FEET WEST OF THE DEPARTURE END OF 27R, KILLING BOTH OCCUPANTS AND ONE DOG.

MULTIPLE VIDEOS AND WITNESS STATEMENTS INDICATE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS MANEUVERING IN AND OUT OF THE OVERCAST LAYER. THE EYE-WITNESS VIDEOS SHOW THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBING INTO THE CLOUD LAYER AFTER TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT REAPPEARS DESCENDING OUT OF THE CLOUD LAYER IN AN UNUSUAL ATTITUDE. THE AIRCRAFT BANKS LEFT, THEN ENTERS A PITCH-UP ATTITUDE BEFORE DISAPPEARING FROM VIEW PRIOR TO IMPACT.

THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE INDICATED A NOSE LOW, HIGH ANGLE OF IMPACT, WHICH IS CONSISTENT WITH TWO WITNESS STATEMENTS THAT THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED LEFT WING AND NOSE DOWN.   PROPELLER DAMAGE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THAT OF POWERED FLIGHT.  THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE ON SCENE OR WITH NTSB INITIAL REPORTS OF A POWER UNIT FAILURE.

THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE WAS REPORTING 3SM VISIBILITY WITH MIST AND A CEILING OF 500 FEET OVERCAST.

THE PILOT FILED A VFR FLIGHT PLAN FOR THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT FROM SEE TO ELKO, NV (EKO) AND RECEIVED A STANDARD WEATHER BRIEFING. THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR VFR DUE TO IMC CONDITIONS IN AND AROUND SAN DIEGO. THE PILOT INDICATED 6 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES OF FUEL ON BOARD ON THE FLIGHT PLAN WITH AN ESTIMATED TIME EN ROUTE OF 4 HOURS AND 49 MINUTES.

A REVIEW OF THE AIRMAN'S PROFILE AND PILOT LOGBOOK INDICATE THAT HE RECEIVED HIS INSTRUMENT RATING IN SEPTEMBER OF 2016. THE LOGBOOK INDICATES THAT THE AIRMAN MET RECENT INSTRUMENT FLIGHT EXPERIENCE AS PER 61.57(C). THE AIRMAN HAD LOGGED A TOTAL OF 62.6 HOURS OF SIMULATED INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE, WITH NOVEMBER 27, 2017 AS THE MOST RECENT SIMULATED INSTRUMENT FLIGHT. THE AIRMAN HAD ONE ENTRY OF ACTUAL INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE OF 1.1 HOURS, WHICH WAS WITH A CFII ONBOARD.

## 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 WPR18FA084](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR18FA084), Feb 6, 2018: Cessna 182T (N3525T), Santee, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to take off into instrument meteorological conditions that resulted in spatial disorientation, and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, which resulted in an…

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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