- Date
- August 18, 1994, 10:15 local (15:15 UTC)
- Place
- Hopkinsville, KY
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N3376RCessna 182L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 25, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940818021709A
- Case key
- 8961
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 failure to maintain proper alignment and adequate obstacle clearance.
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 pilot reported that during landing approach to a private airstrip there was a direct 6 knot crosswind. He stated he was compensating for the crosswind during the approach, but when the airplane became level with cornstalks which ran along side the runway, the crosswind 'ceased.' The airplane drifted to the right and the right wingtip struck the cornstalks. The airplane swung around into the cornstalks and the wings were damaged.
Factual narrative
On August 18, 1994, at 1015 central daylight time, a Cessna 182L, N3376R, collided with cornstalks during landing at a private airstrip in Hopkinsville, Kentucky. The pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The personal flight originated from Nashville, Tennessee, and was destined for Hopkinsville. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot reported that during final approach, a direct 6 knot crosswind existed. He stated that he compensated for the crosswind "...but it ceased under tall corn next to runway. Plane drifted to [the] right, wing tipped corn and pulled plane into corn." He stated the airplane spun around and the left wing was bent upward about 30 degrees. No airplane anomalies were reported by the pilot.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3376R
- Reported as
- Cessna 182L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18258676
- Airframe hours
- 2,515
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Smith, Marion L.
- Registered owner
- Smith, Marion L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 8, 1993 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- M88 · Nashville, TN
- Airport
- runway 10, 2,080 × 75 ft
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
- 69
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,081 total · 1,784 in this make and model · 3,081 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.