# NTSB ATL04FA093: Cessna 182S, N364ME, North Augusta, SC, April 12, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: April 12, 2004, 10:08 local (14:08 UTC) - Place: North Augusta, SC - Coordinates: 33.508335, -81.953887 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5083&lon=-81.9539&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Columbia FSDO - 13, Sigma Tek, Inc., Parker Hannifin Corporation, Textron Lycoming, Cessna Aircraft Company, Honeywell Aerospace Electronic Systems - NTSB case key (mKey): 59031 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL04FA093 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59031/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=59031 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL04FA093 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane due to spatial disorientation, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent in-flight collision with trees and the ground. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight encounter with weather, approach - weather condition - low ceiling - instructions,written/verbal - not followed, pilot in command - Loss of control - in flight, approach - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - tree(s) - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The flight departed on an IFR flight plan, did not proceed on its northwest course as directed, and did not maintain a consistent heading or altitude. The flight continued in a southwest direction, and the pilot elected to land the airplane. An air traffic controller provided altitude and heading assignments for a surveillance approach, and the pilot did not maintain the assigned headings and altitudes. The controller stated to the pilot the low altitude alert indicated 600 feet, and he instructed the pilot to climb. A witness on the ground saw the airplane flying erratically beneath the clouds at treetop height, then it dipped right then left and nosed down into trees and the ground. Examination of the airframe, engine, and components revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. A review of the pilot's log book revealed he logged 13.9 hours actual instrument time and 102.4 hours simulated instrument time. A witness at the departure airport stated the pilot checked the weather, and he overheard the pilot "talking about flying south to avoid rain, and then heading west from there." A review of WSR-88D Doppler Weather Radar Level III images revealed an area of precipitation was approximately 10 miles west of the departure airport and extended approximately 20 miles from north to south; the location of the accident site corresponded with the southeast edge of the precipitation area. An instrument-rated pilot who was monitoring the air traffic control frequencies as the accident flight was being vectored for the approach at Augusta Regional at Bush Field stated he heard the pilot state on the radio he was trying to fly through holes in the clouds. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 12, 2004, at 1008 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182S, N364ME, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with trees and the ground in North Augusta, South Carolina. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight rules (IFR) plan filed. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed. The private pilot and two passengers received fatal injuries, and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight departed Aiken Municipal Airport in Aiken, South Carolina, at 0939 on April 12, 2004. According to air traffic control records, the flight received its IFR clearance and radar contact was established two miles southwest of Aiken Municipal Airport at 0941:29. A controller cleared the flight to proceed direct to the Colliers VOR at 3,000 feet, and the pilot acknowledged. At 0943:04, the controller issued a heading of 340 for the flight's climb, and the pilot did not respond. After three subsequent transmissions of the airplane's call sign from the controller, the pilot acknowledged, and the controller stated, "yes sir fly heading of three four zero vector for your climb climb and maintain eight thousand," and the pilot replied, "... we'll climb and maint." Subsequent transmissions between the controller and the pilot included the controller asking the pilot five times if he was climbing before receiving an answer from the pilot. At 0952:59, the controller asked the pilot his heading, and the pilot replied, "... we're three four zero." The controller observed on the radar that the flight was changing altitudes up and down and not tracking the assigned course. The controller stated, "okay you're nowhere near a three forty heading check your equipment and let me know what heading you're on." The pilot did not reply, and at 0953:49, the controller stated, "four mike echo what altitude are you gonna maintain you can't fly the headings for me," the pilot stated, "... six thousand," and the controller stated, "okay I'm showing you descending check and maintain six thousand sir." At 0954:34, the pilot stated, "... we're in a little trouble here." The controller asked the pilot if he wanted to declare an emergency and land at either Daniel Field or Augusta Regional at Bush Field, Augusta, Georgia. The controller told the pilot to level off the airplane, and "let me know what you want to do." At 0956:42, the pilot stated, "we'd like to turn on course please." The controller asked the pilot if he could proceed direct the LaGrange VOR, and the pilot replied in the affirmative. At 0958:33, the pilot stated, "ah give me the ah call sign for lagrange please," and the controller stated, "okay sir ah it's lima golf charlie I'm going to recommend that you land at Augusta ... ." The pilot replied, "I've got it under control," and the controller stated, "okay yeah you're going eastbound you should be going northwest bound you've leveled at four thousand seven hundred let me know what you wanna do," and the pilot replied, "ah gimme that call sign again please." At 0959:23, the controller stated, "... you're descending on me again," and the pilot stated, "... I think we'll land." The controller instructed the pilot to level off at any altitude. The controller asked the pilot if he was familiar with a surveillance approach or could he do an ILS approach, and the pilot stated, "I'm wondering what I can do here." The pilot was assigned a different frequency to communicate alone with one controller for an approach to Augusta Regional at Bush Field. At 1004:27, the controller stated, "ok anything else going wrong is it just navigation problem," and the pilot stated, "navigation problems." The controller provided heading and altitude assignments, and the airplane continued to descend and turn off course. At 1006:01, the controller stated, "... you're coming down to fifteen hold it back up to seventeen hundred," and the pilot replied, "... seventeen hundred you still want us to fly the ah two seven zero," and the controller stated, "affirmative sir ... I don't need for you to turn the aircraft at all ... ." At 1006:53, the controller stated, "... I need you to take it up there to seventeen hundred and hold it there heading of two seven zero please and your low altitude alert indicates six hundred," and the pilot stated, "four mike echo we've got to try to (unintelligible)." The controller stated, "no sir you're not VFR you're IFR ... ." The pilot stated, "... we saw some," and "... we're trying for (unintelligible)," and the controller stated, "ok sir do not do not take off on your own ... I need for you up to seventeen hundred feet." At 1007:39, the pilot stated, "four mike echo I understand that," and no further radio communication was received from the flight. Witnesses at a nursing home a few hundred yards from the accident site reported seeing the airplane flying low and erratic just over treetop height. One witness stated the airplane was "weaving back and forth, the engine was sputtering." The witness stated, "it seemed the airplane was going to hit the building until the pilot seemed to pull up a little, then the plane took a dip first to the right, then a hard left," then it nosed down into the trees. The witness ran into the building to telephone the 911 operator, and he and nurses from the home ran to the accident site and found the airplane on the ground. PERSONNEL INFORMATION The pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He held a third class medical certificate dated May 15, 2002, with the restriction, "must wear corrective lenses." A review of the pilot's logbook revealed he logged a total of 768.4 hours, which included 595.9 hours pilot-in-command, 595.9 hours in high-performance airplanes, 5.6 hours night time, 102.4 hours simulated instrument time, and 13.9 hours actual instrument time. AIRCRAFT INFORMATION The Cessna 182S was manufactured in 2000, was powered by a Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 230-horsepower engine, and was equipped with a McCauley B3D36C431-C three-blade, constant-speed propeller. A review of maintenance records revealed an altimeter, encoder, transponder, and static system certification test was performed August 21, 2002. An annual inspection of the airplane was completed on August 1, 2003, at a tachometer reading of 387.7 hours. Damage precluded tachometer and hour meter readings at the accident site. The most recent maintenance log entry on April 1, 2004, recorded a tachometer reading of 503.7. The airplane was topped off with 28.2 gallons 100LL prior to departure. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION A review of recorded weather data from the Augusta Regional at Bush Field weather observing station revealed at 0953 conditions were winds from 140 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 6 statute miles with mist, ceiling 700 feet overcast, temperature 18 degrees centigrade, dew point 18 degrees centigrade, altimeter setting 29.74 inches, with remarks rain began at 0901 and ended at 0910. At 1035 conditions were winds from 130 degrees at 6 knots, visibility 7 statute miles, ceiling 1,100 feet overcast, temperature 20 degrees centigrade, dew point 19 degrees centigrade, altimeter setting 29.75 inches, with remarks ceiling 800 feet variable to 1,400 feet. A review of WSR-88D Doppler Weather Radar Level III images revealed at 1000 and 1005, an area of precipitation was approximately 10 miles west of Aiken Municipal Airport. The precipitation area extended approximately 30 miles from north to south, and the location of the accident site corresponded with the southeast edge of the precipitation area. A review of National Weather Service In-flight Weather Advisories revealed AIRMETs SIERRA and TANGO were in effect for the area and time of the accident for IFR conditions and occasional moderate turbulence below 12,000 feet. WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION Examination o ## Aircraft - Registration: [N364ME](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N364ME-2018-01-18), registration cancelled 2018-01-18, S/N 18280853, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182S - Registry model: [Cessna 182S](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182s) (registry code 2072701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18280853 - Airframe hours: 387.7 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: William C. Cuntz Jr. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2003, 130 hours before - Departed: KAIK, Aiken, SC - Destination: KGLH, Greenville, MS - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: KAGS, Augusta Regional at Bush Field ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 70; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 768 total, 596 as pilot in command, 20 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day - Wind: 140° at 6 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 700 ft overcast - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.73 inHg - Observed at: KAGS, 9 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20040412004889A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040412004889A), Apr 12, 2004: Cessna 182S, North Augusta, SC, Destroyed, 3 fatal. (-23) N364ME departed aiken municipal airport (aik) at approximately 1340Z in route to greenville, MS. The aircraft was unable to hold any assigned altitude or… ## Docket (21 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 31, 2005, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=59031. 9.0 MB in all. - Meteorology 5 - Factual Report of Weather Specialist (item 1, .PDF, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40213109&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Meteorology%205%20-%20Factual%20Report%20of%20Weather%20Specialist-Master.PDF - ATC Transcript of Radio Communications (item 2, .PDF, 648 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40231992&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=ATC%20Transcript%20of%20Radio%20Communications-Master.PDF - Autopilot data sheets (item 3, .PDF, 510 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40231993&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Autopilot%20data%20sheets-Master.PDF - Maintenance Log Excerpts (item 4, .PDF, 643 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40459838&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Log%20Excerpts-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 5, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40459839&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 6, .PDF, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40459840&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Supplement A (item 7, .PDF, 186 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232001&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20A-Master.PDF - Supplement B (item 8, .PDF, 321 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232002&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20B-Master.PDF - Pilot Log (item 9, .PDF, 324 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40459842&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Log-Redacted.PDF - Police report (item 10, .PDF, 251 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40231999&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Police%20report-Redacted.PDF - Radar data study (item 11, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232000&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Radar%20data%20study-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 12, .PDF, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232003&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report - Passenger (item 13, .PDF, 52 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232004&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report%20-%20Passenger-Master.PDF - Toxicological Report - Pilot (item 14, .PDF, 54 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232005&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report%20-%20Pilot-Master.PDF - Witness Statements (item 15, .PDF, 884 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40459843&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1 Main wreckage photo provided by north augusta public safety (item 16, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232007&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20Main%20wreckage%20photo%20provided%20by%20north%20augusta%20public%20safety-Master.PDF - Photo 2 Engine (item 17, .PDF, 388 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232008&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20Engine-Master.PDF - Photo 3 Propeller and cabin (item 18, .PDF, 364 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232009&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20Propeller%20and%20cabin-Master.PDF - Photo 4 Empennage (item 19, .PDF, 292 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232010&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20Empennage-Master.PDF - Photo 5 Propeller removed (item 20, .PDF, 341 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232011&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%20Propeller%20removed-Master.PDF - Component Exam Summaries (item 21, .PDF, 55 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40232092&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Component%20Exam%20Summaries-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.