- Date
- January 14, 1989, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Russells Point, OH
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4585BCessna 180
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 22, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890114000549A
- Case key
- 7979
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's inaccurate evaluation of weather condition, and his failure to use available weather briefing resources. As a result, the pilot encountered structural icing which covered the windscreen, blocking forward visibility.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt reported that he encountered a freezing mist during cruise. He elected to divert to his home airstrip. During approach, the windshield iced over. Just after touchdown, all fwd visibility was lost. The plt elected to stay toward the rt side of the airstrip during rollout, to avoid trees on the left side. The airplane subsequently ran off the rt side into a muddy field and nosed over. The plt did not report that he had obtained any wx briefings prior to the flt. No record of his having obtained any wx briefings was found. A wx reporting station located about 37 miles away reported light freezing rain & fog about 25 minutes before departure.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4585B
- Reported as
- Cessna 180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31484
- Engine
- Continental O-470-J, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Geiger, Richard G.
- Registered owner
- Geiger, Richard G
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 23, 1988
- Departed
- Urbana, OH
- Airport
- NONE
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 58
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 30 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- DAY, 37 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.
Other investigations on N4585B · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.