- Date
- March 20, 2018, 10:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Rapid City, SD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3024YCessna 182
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 5, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180320009859A
- Case key
- 96904
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 selection of unsuitable terrain for takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control and runway excursion.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while departing from a short snow-covered airstrip, the airplane's nose wheel lifted off upon arriving at the "go/no go" decision point. He added that, about 30 ft. further the airplane encountered deeper snow and the nose landing gear lowered to the ground. Subsequently, he reduced the throttle and aborted the takeoff. The airplane exited the airstrip to the left, the right wing encountered terrain, and the airplane spun 180° and came to rest in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while departing from a short snow-covered airstrip, the airplane's nose wheel lifted off upon arriving at the "go/no go" decision point. He added that, about 30 ft. further the airplane encountered deeper snow and the nose landing gear lowered to the ground. Subsequently, he reduced the throttle and aborted the takeoff. The airplane exited the airstrip to the left, the right wing encountered terrain, and the airplane spun 180° and came to rest in a ditch. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the elevator and both wings. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3024Y
- Reported as
- Cessna 182 (E)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18254024
- Built
- 1962
- Engine
- Cont Motor O-470 SERIES, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 17, 2017
- Departed
- Rapid City, SD
- Destination
- RAP · Rapid City, SD
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, Stall warning system
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
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 3,920 total · 306 in this make and model · 26 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 27 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KRAP, 8 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 16, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.