# NTSB ATL95LA020: Cessna 182P, N6556M, Greer, SC, November 27, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 27, 1994, 18:25 local (23:25 UTC) - Place: Greer, SC - Coordinates: 34.93024, -82.230873 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.9302&lon=-82.2309&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 5, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 3501 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ATL95LA020 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/3501/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL95LA020 ## Probable cause THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURES AND HIS PREMATURE DESCENT BELOW THE PUBLISHED DECISION HEIGHT. A FACTOR WAS PILOT FATIGUE. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr) - object - fence - decision height - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - ifr procedure - not followed, pilot in command (cause) - fatigue, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis THE FLIGHT HAD BEEN DIVERTED FROM THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, AND HAD COMPLETED TWO MISSED APPROACHES AT AN ALTERNATE. DURING THE THIRD APPROACH, THE PILOT SAW LIGHTS BELOW THE AIRPLANE, AND SHIFTED HIS ATTENTION FROM THE FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS TO THE LIGHTS. AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT THE LIGHTS WERE NOT APPROACH LIGHTS. BEFORE HE COULD APPLY POWER AND ESTABLISH A CLIMB ATTITUDE, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A FENCE. THE 74-YEAR-OLD PILOT ATTRIBUTED THE ACCIDENT TO THE STRESS AND FATIGUE OF THE OTHER APPROACHES, AND HIS DESIRE TO MEET A SCHEDULE. NO MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS DISCOVERED WITH THE AIRCRAFT. ## Factual narrative On November 27, 1994, at 1825 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182P, N6556M, collided with a chain link fence one half mile west of the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport, in Greer, South Carolina. The personal flight operated under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 with an instrument flight plan filed. Instrument flight rules weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The airplane sustained substantial damage, and the pilot received minor injuries. The flight departed Gainesville, Florida, at 1500 hours. According to the pilot, he had attempted two other instrument approaches. While on the third final approach for landing, he saw a series of ground lights through the clouds. When the pilot descended below the cloud layer, he discovered that the lights were not approach lights, but were security lights around a local business. Before the pilot could establish a climb attitude, the airplane collided with the six foot fence around the business. Examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical malfunction or component failure. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane was on the localizer course when the collision occurred. The published missed approach decision height/weather minimum for the ILS Runway 3 was two hundred feet and one half mile. The pilot stated that the stress of two missed approaches and a level of fatigue were possible contributing factors to this accident (see attached pilot aircraft accident report). ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6556M](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6556M-1996-06-19), registration cancelled 1996-06-19, S/N 18263752 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182P - Registry model: [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (registry code 2075816) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 182-63752 - Airframe hours: 3500 - Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470-R 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Cosgrove, Kenneth - Registered owner: Coho Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 10, 1994, 50 hours before - Departed: GNV, GAINESVILLE, FL - Destination: AVL, ASHEVILLE, NC - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: GSP, Greenville/Spartanburg, runway 3, 7,600 × 150 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 2,953 total, 2,100 in this make and model, 2,953 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 12 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark - Wind: 30° at 10 knots - Visibility: 0.5 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 300 ft broken - Temperature: 41 °F, dew point 39 °F - Observed at: GSP ## 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 19941127039229A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19941127039229A), Nov 27, 1994: Cessna 182P, Greer, SC, Substantial damage. Unable destination. Missed two approaches alternate. Saw lights thought approach lights. Hit fence, blamed fatigue. 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.