CHI02CA214

NTSB accident investigation · Cessna 182A · Laretto, MN · July 21, 2002

Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal report
Date
July 20, 2002, 20:40 local (Jul 21, 2002, 01:40 UTC)
Place
Laretto, MN
Injuries
3 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Landing
Aircraft
N6321BCessna 182A
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Status
Completed · report May 13, 2003
Report
Approved by Office Director
Parties
FAA FSDO-Minneapolis
Case key
55345

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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Probable cause

The pilot's improper flare.

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.

Hard landingLanding
Flare - improperPilot in command

Analysis

The airplane was approaching to land on runway 8 when it developed a high sink rate and impacted the runway.

Factual narrative

On July 20, 2002, at 2040 central daylight time, a Cessna 182, N6321B, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during landing at the Ingleside Airport (MN66), Loretto, Minnesota. Ingleside is a private airport 22.0 nm northwest (302 magnetic) of the Minneapolis VORTAC (MSP). The airplane was approaching to land on runway 8 (1,700 feet x 45 feet, turf) when it developed a high sink rate and impacted the runway. The airplane slid 104 feet before coming to rest. The local flight originated at approximately 0755 cdt from the Ingleside Airport and was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot and two (2) passengers were not injured in the accident.

The airplane was returning after the local flight. The pilot stated that they were "approaching [the] airport from the west; landing east. There are trees located on the east end, so I had (3) notches of flaps on until I clear[ed] the trees and applied full flaps. After clearing the trees and about 20' above ground, I developed a fast sink rate. I fire-walled the airplane but could not recover the sink rate. I hit the ground hard and the right main and nose wheel collapsed."

The FAA inspector on-scene reported high trees and a house located on the west end of the runway.

In a written statement to the local authorities, one of the passengers on-board reported: "All was well the entire flight. . . . We began to land and then it happened. We hit to the right and ended up perpendicular to the runway. . . . He [the pilot] said there was some sort of stall and he tried to pull back up to abort the landing, but was unable to." In addition, the passenger told the FAA inspector on-scene that the pilot had explained to him that due to the short runway, a special technique of "stalling it in" was required.

The Cessna 182A was certified under type certificate 3A13 and includes model years 1957 and 1958. The owner's manual for the 1958 Cessna 182 states that "approach glides should be made at 70~80mph with flaps down." The landing performance chart notes the required distance to clear a fifty (50) foot obstacle as 1,375 feet. This applies to a gross weight of 2,650 lbs. at a 2,500 foot altitude, with 40 degrees of flaps and calm winds on a hard surface runway. The noted approach airspeed over the obstacle is 67 mph (at 2,650 lbs.). The power-off stall speed with 40 degrees of flaps is 56 mph.

The pilot holds a private pilot certificate with an airplane--single-engine land rating. He reported a total time of 95 hours, of which, 50 hours were in the same make and model airplane. He completed a biennial flight review on July 31, 2001, and holds a valid third class medical certificate with no limitations.

The airplane, S/N 34221, had accumulated 4,957 hours total time. Approximately twenty (20) hours had been flown since the last inspection. The date of the most recent annual inspection was not reported. The Continental O-470 engine installed had accumulated approximately 1,400 hours since overhaul. The pilot reported no malfunctions or failures with the airplane/engine either prior to, or at the time of, the accident.

Weather conditions at the scene were reported by the pilot as clear, with light winds (090 degrees at 3 knots) and no turbulence. Conditions at the Crystal Airport (MIC), thirteen (13) nm to the east, at 2053 cdt, were reported by the ASOS as few clouds at 3,000 agl, six (6) sm visibility in haze, and winds from the east (100 degrees) at five (5) knots.

Aircraft

Registration
N6321B
Reported as
Cessna 182A
Category
Airplane
Serial number
34221
Airframe hours
4,940
Engine
Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Personal · Part 91
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Departed
MN66 · Laretto, MN
Destination
MN66 · Laretto, MN
Airport
MN66 · Ingleside, runway 8, 1,700 × 45 ft, grass/turf

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
25
Injuries
None
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Last flight review
July 31, 2001
Seat
Front
Flight hours
95 total · 50 in this make and model · 95 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Dusk
Wind
100° at 5 knots
Visibility
6 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
79 °F, dew point 70 °F
Altimeter
29.90 inHg
Observed at
MIC, 13 nm away

Docket · 3

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 3, 2003, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 880 KB in all.