- Date
- May 15, 1990, 06:00 local (10:00 UTC)
- Place
- Numidia, PA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N8757XCessna 182D
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900515015759A
- Case key
- 36533
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
Inflight collision with trees while attempting to maintain visual reference with the ground in instrument meteorological flight conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to continue the flight in deteriorating weather conditions in an area of high terrain.
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
The airplane took off from an uncontrolled arpt, enroute to an arpt with an ILS. The pilot had received his instrument rating 3 weeks prior and the airplane was instrument equipped. There was no record of a weather briefing for the pilot or a flight plan for the trip. Radar data showed a unidentified code 1200 and then a primary target moving first in an easterly direction, maneuvering, and then headed back west. The last target was 7 miles from the accident site approximately 3 minutes prior to the accident. The aircraft impacted trees on a ridge line heading in a westerly direction, heading toward the airport of departure. Eyewitnesses in the area reported reduced visibility with fog on the mountain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8757X
- Reported as
- Cessna 182D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18253157
- Airframe hours
- 1,700
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Frank A. Pavelko
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 15, 1990
- Departed
- N79 · Shamokin, PA
- Destination
- H2L · Hazleton, PA
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
- 66
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,056 total · 956 in this make and model · 685 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.