# NTSB CEN13TA441: Cessna 182S, N820HP, Tecumseh, OK, July 27, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Final report - Date: July 26, 2013, 19:10 local (Jul 27, 2013, 00:10 UTC) - Place: Tecumseh, OK - Coordinates: 35.260555, -97.01889 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2606&lon=-97.0189&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report January 30, 2014 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA -- Oklahoma City Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 87598 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN13TA441 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87598/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13TA441 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadvertent aerodynamic stall at a low altitude, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182S, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072701), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182S, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072701), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: angle of attack](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md?model=2072701), [All aircraft, 990 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062042/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220); cases with it: [Cessna 182S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=2072701), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Aerodynamic stall/spin](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182S, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md?model=2072701), [All aircraft, 1,529 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/241/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Cessna 182S, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072701), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 182S, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072701), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) trooper, was dispatched to assist fellow OHP troopers and a local police department in the pursuit of an individual who was involved in a traffic accident. The driver fled the scene after the accident and was thought to be hiding in a wooded area. The pilot established radio contact with an OHP trooper on the ground; however, he was not able to contact the local police officers by radio. As the local police officers approached the location of the vehicle driver, they looked up at the airplane for further guidance. At that time, the pilot reduced the airplane's engine power and entered a slow descending turn over the vehicle driver's location, and the police officers on the ground began walking toward the individual. About the same time, the airplane's aerodynamic stall warning sounded. The left wing subsequently "stalled hard," and the airplane pitched nose-down and started to rotate to the left. The pilot was able to maintain directional control of the airplane and avoided a spin; however, he was not able to fully recover from the stall, and the airplane impacted the terrain. A postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. ## Factual narrative On July 26, 2013, about 1910 central daylight time, a Cessna 182S airplane, N820HP, impacted terrain while maneuvering near Tecumseh, Oklahoma. A postimpact fire ensured. The pilot, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) trooper, sustained serious injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the Oklahoma Department of Public Safety under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a public use flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The flight originated from the University of Oklahoma Westheimer Airport (OUN), Norman, Oklahoma, about 1813. The pilot was dispatched to assist OHP troopers and a local police department in the pursuit of an individual involved in a traffic accident. The driver had fled the scene after the accident and was thought to be hiding in a wooded area. The pilot reported that he arrived on-scene about 15 minutes after departing OUN. He established radio contact with an OHP trooper on the ground and informed the trooper that he had located the suspect. However, that OHP trooper was not located near the police officers, and the pilot did not have the ability to contact the police officers by radio. The pilot observed the police officers walking in the wrong direction, away from the location of the vehicle driver. Without the ability to communicate with the police officers directly, the pilot overflew the officers and pointed in the direction of the vehicle driver. As the officers approached the location of the vehicle driver, they looked up at the airplane for further guidance. At that point, the pilot reduced engine power and entered a slow descending turn over the vehicle driver's location, at which time the police officers began walking into the adjacent tree area toward the individual. The pilot reported that about the same time, the airplane's aerodynamic stall warning sounded. He added that the left wing subsequently "stalled hard," and the nose of the airplane pitched down and started to rotate to the left. He responded by applying a wings level aileron control input and increased to full engine power. He maintained directional control with rudder control and was able to prevent the airplane from entering a spin; however, he was not able to fully recover from the stall and the airplane impacted the terrain. A postaccident examination of the airplane, performed by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspectors with the assistance of the airplane manufacturer, did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a preimpact failure or malfunction. Primary flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to each control surface. The flap actuators were extended consistent with a 30-degree flap deflection. The left wing fuel tank contained approximately 7 gallons of a fluid consistent in appearance to 100 low lead aviation fuel. The right wing fuel tank had been consumed by thepostimpact fire. Records on file with the FAA indicated that a Horton STOL (short takeoff and landing) kit was installed on the accident airplane in March 2002. Drooped wing leading edges were observed installed on the airplane at the accident site. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N820HP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N820HP-2018-02-09), registration cancelled 2018-02-09, S/N 18280115, built 1998 (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: 18280115 - Airframe hours: 6578 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-AB1A5 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Public aircraft - state, Public use - Operator: Oklahoma Department Of Public Safety - Registered owner: Oklahoma Department Of Public Safety - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal; Standard, Utility - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 11, 2013 - Departed: OUN, Norman, OK - Destination: OUN, Norman, OK - Airport: OUN, University of Oklahoma ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: serious; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 24, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 3,902 total, 2,003 in this make and model, 3,895 as pilot in command, 100 in the last 90 days, 28 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 20° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: TIK, 20 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 20130726015669A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130726015669A), Jul 26, 2013: Cessna 182S, Tecumseh, OK, Destroyed. On 07/26/2013 at approx. 2030 CDT. This office was notified of an accident of a highway patrol Cessna 182 that had an off airport landing. The on scene highway… 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.