# NTSB GAA19CA591: Cessna 182, N101SD, Elizabethtown, NC, September 24, 2019 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 24, 2019, 16:15 local (20:15 UTC) - Place: Elizabethtown, NC - Coordinates: 34.601112, -78.578887 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6011&lon=-78.5789&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 17, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: General Aviation Accidents - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 100487 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=GAA19CA591 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/100487/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100487 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA591 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing and postaccident fire. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s distraction during short final. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: landing flare](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182Q, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/cases.md?model=2072732), [All aircraft, 1,285 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062041/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 182Q, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072732), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: attention](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182Q, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md?model=2072732), [All aircraft, 226 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021510/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182Q, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072732), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) - [Landing: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 182Q, 17 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072732), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during the approach, he noticed the airplane was high, so he reduced power and lowered the nose. While correcting, he was talking to his passenger and became distracted. He realized the was not at a good landing attitude, so he added power and pulled back on the yoke. Subsequently, the airplane landed hard, the nose landing gear collapsed, and the fuel system ruptured. The airplane veered left and exited the runway onto adjacent grass. The airplane was destroyed by postaccident fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added as a safety recommendation that maintaining a sterile cockpit must always be a priority during landing. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, during approach, he noticed the airplane was high, so he reduced power and lowered the nose. While correcting, he was talking to his passenger and became distracted. He realized he was not in a good landing attitude, so he added power and pulled back on the yoke. The airplane landed hard, which collapsed the nose landing gear and ruptured the fuel system. The airplane veered left and exited the runway onto the adjacent grass. The pilot and passengers egressed, and the airplane was destroyed in a postaccident fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added as a safety recommendation that maintaining a sterile cockpit must always be a priority during landing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N101SD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N101SD-2020-04-17), registration cancelled 2020-04-17, S/N 18267059 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182 (Q) - Registry model: [Cessna 182Q](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182q) (registry code 2072732) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18267059 - Year built: 1979 - Engines: reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: EYF, ELIZABETHTOWN, NC - Destination: EYF, ELIZABETHTOWN, NC - Airport: EYF, Curtis L Brown Jr Field, runway 33, 5,006 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 64; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 13, 2014; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 1,936 total, 1.2 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 61 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: KEYF ## 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 20190924018269A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190924018269A), Sep 24, 2019: Cessna 182Q, Elizabethtown, NC, Destroyed. The PIC was returning from a local flight with 2 passengers onboard. During the landing phase of the flight the PIC was distracted by talking to the front seat… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 19, 2019, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=100487. 3.3 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479246&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Master.PDF - Accident Photo (item 2, .PDF, 1 photo, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479247&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.