# NTSB GAA17CA559: Cessna 182, N9346G, San Diego, CA, September 27, 2017 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 27, 2017, 02:35 local (09:35 UTC) - Place: San Diego, CA - Coordinates: 32.570835, -116.964164 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5708&lon=-116.9642&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 14, 2018 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 96101 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA17CA559 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/96101/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96101 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA559 ## Probable cause The airplane’s inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological, dark night conditions and the pilot’s failure to maintain an adequate approach for landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) - [Light condition: dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation; cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 448 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020/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 182P, 48 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Ceiling/visibility/precip: fog](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035055): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on operation (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035055/cases.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 78 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03035055/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 392 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401/sequence.md) - [Approach-VFR pattern final: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) - [Landing: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 182P, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2075816), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he took off in dark night conditions and was using flight following. When he arrived at the destination airport, he activated the runway lights while entering the downwind leg. While on final approach, the runway lights suddenly turned off, so he aborted the landing. The pilot again activated the runway lights on the downwind leg, but this time he flew a short base leg to final. The airplane was at a lower altitude for the approach and suddenly entered a heavy band of fog. The left wing subsequently hit the soft dirt, cartwheeled, and then came to rest inverted about 1/4 mile short of the runway. Postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The weather conditions reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, were calm wind, visibility 4 statute miles, moderate mist, clouds scattered 100 ft, temperature 15°C, dew point 15°C, and an altimeter setting 29.24 inches of mercury. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident /Incident Report Form 6120.1. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that he took off in dark night conditions and was using flight following. When he arrived at the destination airport, he activated the runway lights while entering the downwind leg. While on final approach the runway lights suddenly turned off, so he aborted the landing. The pilot again activated the runway lights on the downwind leg, but this time he flew a short base leg to final. The airplane was at a lower altitude for the approach and suddenly entered a heavy band of fog. The left wing subsequently hit the soft dirt, cartwheeled and came to rest inverted about ¼ mile short of runway 26. A postaccident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The weather conditions reported at the airport, about the time of the accident, was calm wind, visibility 4 statute miles, moderate mist, scattered 100 ft, temperature 15°C, dew point 15°C, and an altimeter setting 29.24 inches of mercury. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident /Incident Report Form 6120.1. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9346G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9346G-2021-01-11), registration cancelled 2021-01-11, S/N 18260886, built 1971 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182 (P) - Registry model: [Cessna 182P](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182p) (registry code 2075816) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18260886 - Year built: 1971 - Engines: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: CPM, COMPTON, CA - Destination: SDM, San Diego, CA - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: SDM, Brown Field Muni - Equipment: Unknown ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: unknown, unknown; last flight review January 4, 2016; flight hours: 796 total, 754 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night - Wind: calm - Visibility: 4 statute miles - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 59 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: KSDM ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 24, 2018, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=96101. 410 KB in all. - Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 119 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462275&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - FAA Statement (item 2, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462276&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Statement-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 3, .PDF, 243 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40462278&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Accident%20Photo-Master.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.