- Date
- July 8, 2004, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Weiner, AR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8676XCessna 180E
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 29, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040708014389A
- Case key
- 59612
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 poor preflight preparation/planning which resulted in the pilot landing at a wrong airport. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the off airport landing.
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
On a local flight, the pilot misidentified the intended airstrip, and landed in a rice field. The pilot stated he never had previously landed at the intended airstrip. During the landing, the pilot lost control of the airplane, the airplane flipped over and came to rest inverted. The pilot stated there was no mechanical problems with the airplane.
Factual narrative
On July 8, 2004, approximately 0900 central daylight time, a Cessna 180 single-engine airplane, N8676X, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain following a loss of control during landing to a field near Weiner, Arkansas. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The airplane was registered to G and W Aircraft Inc., Weiner, Arkansas, and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed Sally Wofford Airport (8M2) at an unknown time and was destined for a local agricultural airstrip.
According to the Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot departed 8M2 and destined for the "Hall ag strip, which [the pilot] had never landed on." The pilot stated he misidentified the airport and landed in a rice field.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration inspector, the pilot stated he lost control of the airplane during landing. The airplane flipped over and came to rest in the inverted position. The pilot added there was no mechanical problems with the airplane. The inspector stated both wings and the vertical stabilizer were bent.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8676X
- Reported as
- Cessna 180E
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- UNK
- Engine
- Continental O-470, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- G and W Aircraft Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Weiner, AR
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
- 78
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 5,769 total · 850 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N8676X · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.