# NTSB ERA20CA300: Cessna 182, N3707U, Millington, MD, August 30, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: August 30, 2020, 14:56 local (18:56 UTC) - Place: Millington, MD - Coordinates: 39.291847, -75.802207 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2918&lon=-75.8022&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101886 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA300 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101886/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101886 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA300 ## Probable cause The pilot’s misidentification of a corn field for the destination airport’s runway, and a subsequent aerodynamic stall at low altitude while attempting to land. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Perception/orientation/illusion: geographic disorient (lost)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/cases.md?model=2072716), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/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 182G, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=2072716), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182G, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072716), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Wrong surface or wrong airport](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182G, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284/sequence.md?model=2072716), [All aircraft, 56 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/284/sequence.md) - [Landing: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240); cases with it: [Cessna 182G, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072716), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis After a successful glider release, the pilot of the tow airplane was attempting to return to the turf runway at the departure airport. The pilot stated that he had difficulty locating the runway amongst the nearby corn fields and mistakenly aligned the airplane to land on a long swath of corn. During the landing attempt, and just as the pilot realized that the airplane was over corn and not the runway, the airplane “stalled” and impacted the ground. The airplane’s fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3707U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3707U-2022-07-02), registration cancelled 2022-07-02, S/N 18255107, built 1963 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182 (G) - Registry model: [Cessna 182G](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182g) (registry code 2072716) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18255107 - Year built: 1963 - Airframe hours: 5328 - Engines: Continental O-470 R SERIES 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Glider tow, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, June 6, 2020, 975 hours before - Departed: MD1, Millington, MD - Destination: MD1, Millington, MD - Airport: MD1, Massey Aerodrome - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 84; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, single-engine land; medical: class 3, waiver time limited special; last flight review September 7, 2019; seat: left; flight hours: 800 total, 76.6 in this make and model, 4.1 in the last 90 days, 3 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 80 °F ## 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 20200830017749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200830017749A), Aug 30, 2020: Cessna 182G, Millington, MD, Substantial damage. On August 30, 2020 the aircraft was performing glider tow operations. After releasing the gilder, the aircraft descended in a controlled spiral and crashed… ## Other investigations on N3707U (1) 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. - [NTSB CHI76DEP04](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI76DEP04), Jul 6, 1975: Cessna 182 (N3707U), West Bend, WI, substantial damage ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101886. 3.7 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 938 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11553679&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%206120%20ERA20CA300_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Pilot's statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 95 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11554451&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20for%20Record-Pilot%20statement-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11554366&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs%20-%20ERA20CA300-Rel.pdf 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.