- Date
- September 9, 1992, 09:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Westerly, RI
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5533NCessna 182R
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 10, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920909035729A
- Case key
- 11734
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
Inadvertent VFR flight by the pilot into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain control of the aircraft due to spatial disorientation. Factors related to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, self-induced pressure on the pilot to make the flight, and the pilot's lack of instrument expereince.
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
Before takeoff, the non-instrument rated 79 year old pilot received two preflight weather briefing. He was advised that VFR flight was not recommended. The pilot departed with his wife to attend a family gathering in detroit, Michigan, with a planned stop in Westerly, rhode island, to pick up radio equipment. Segments of the flight were over water. During the flight, the pilot was in radio contact with groton-new london tower. He indicated on his last transmission that he was descending into Westerly. The aircraft did not reach the destination airport. A search was initiated after debris was found by a fisherman. The aircraft was located 5 days later in about 50 feet of water about 5 miles south of the airport. About 15 miles south of Westerly at block island state airport, an airport attendant reported a low ceiling and fog, which prevented inbound and outbound flight to Westerly.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5533N
- Reported as
- Cessna 182R
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18267775
- Airframe hours
- 2,069
- Engine
- Continental O-470-U, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Arthur W Case
- Registered owner
- Arthur W Case
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 29, 1992 · 50 hours before
- Departed
- FOK · Westhampton Bch, NY
- Destination
- WST · Westerly, RI
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
- 79
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,596 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GON, 1 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.