Cessna 182P accident near Fairfield, WA
On April 11, 2001, a Cessna 182P (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fairfield, WA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- April 11, 2001
- Place
- Fairfield, WA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 47.387°N, 117.240°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010418X00775
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On April 10, 2001, approximately 2112 Pacific daylight time, the pilot of a privately owned Cessna 182P airplane, N21565, contacted the Seattle, Washington, FAA Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS) and requested and received an abbreviated weather briefing for a flight from Felts Field, Spokane, Washington, to Pullman/Moscow Regional Airport, Pullman, Washington. During this contact, the pilot stated that he intended to depart Felts Field about 20 minutes after the call. About 2139 (1 hour and 39 minutes after the Felts Field air traffic control [ATC] tower closed for the evening), the approach control radar at Spokane International Airport recorded a radar return coming off Felts Field. This radar target tracked generally southeastbound (i.e., generally toward Pullman) until radar contact was lost with the target about 2150 approximately 18 nautical miles southeast of the Spokane approach control radar (located at Spokane International Airport), in the vicinity of Fairfield, Washington. The FAA reported that there was no ATC radio contact with the aircraft generating this radar return. The following day, concerned individuals reported the pilot as missing when he failed to arrive at work. A search for the aircraft was then initiated. The substantially damaged wreckage of N21565 was found later that day about 3 miles west of Fairfield, and the private pilot (who owned the aircraft) and one passenger were found fatally injured within the aircraft wreckage. At 2153, Felts Field reported marginal visual flight rules (MVFR) conditions (ceiling 1,800 feet br
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain altitude and/or clearance over trees, resulting in a collision with trees, separation of a wing and uncontrolled collision with terrain. Factors included the pilot's inadequate preflight planning and preparation, dark night conditions, low ceilings, and mixed rain/snow precipitation conditions.
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Browse: Washington · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
