What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 28, 2024, the pilot was conducting a skydiving operation in a C182. After successfully dropping the skydivers at an altitude of 8,500 feet, the pilot initiated a spiraling descent to 1,500 feet while maintaining communication with hcf center. Upon reaching pattern altitude, the pilot canceled radar services and continued communicating on the CTAF frequency.
Approximately one minute after crossing over solid ground and while on the base leg of the landing approach, the aircraft experienced a complete power loss. At this time, the aicraft was approximately 300 feet AGL. The pilot executed the emergency flow procedures but was unable to restart the engine.
The pilot selected an open field that was into the wind for an emergency landing. The pilot notified center of his emergency situation and proceeded with the landing attempt. The field had a significant upward slope. The pilot approached the landing slowly, but upon touchdown, the main gear made a hard contact followed almost immediately by the nose gear. The nose gear caught on a concealed obstruction, causing it to collapse. Consequently, the pilots head struck the dashboard during the impact. Upon inspection, after evacuating the plane it seems that the obstruction was a large rock in the field.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 28, 2024, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A SKYDIVING OPERATION IN A C182. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY DROPPING THE SKYDIVERS AT AN ALTITUDE OF 8,500 FEET, THE PILOT INITIATED A SPIRALING DESCENT TO 1,500 FEET WHILE MAINTAINING COMMUNICATION WITH HCF CENTER. UPON REACHING PATTERN ALTITUDE, THE PILOT CANCELED RADAR SERVICES AND CONTINUED COMMUNICATING ON THE CTAF FREQUENCY.
APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE AFTER CROSSING OVER SOLID GROUND AND WHILE ON THE BASE LEG OF THE LANDING APPROACH, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE POWER LOSS. AT THIS TIME, THE AICRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET AGL. THE PILOT EXECUTED THE EMERGENCY FLOW PROCEDURES BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE.
THE PILOT SELECTED AN OPEN FIELD THAT WAS INTO THE WIND FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE PILOT NOTIFIED CENTER OF HIS EMERGENCY SITUATION AND PROCEEDED WITH THE LANDING ATTEMPT. THE FIELD HAD A SIGNIFICANT UPWARD SLOPE. THE PILOT APPROACHED THE LANDING SLOWLY, BUT UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN GEAR MADE A HARD CONTACT FOLLOWED ALMOST IMMEDIATELY BY THE NOSE GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR CAUGHT ON A CONCEALED OBSTRUCTION, CAUSING IT TO COLLAPSE. CONSEQUENTLY, THE PILOTS HEAD STRUCK THE DASHBOARD DURING THE IMPACT. UPON INSPECTION, AFTER EVACUATING THE PLANE IT SEEMS THAT THE OBSTRUCTION WAS A LARGE ROCK IN THE FIELD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N2728B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.