Cessna 525 accident near Crozet, VA
On April 16, 2018, a Cessna 525 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Crozet, VA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- April 16, 2018
- Place
- Crozet, VA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 525 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.098°N, 78.722°W
- NTSB ID
- 20180416X75158
Official records · ERA18FA127
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn April 15, 2018, at 2054 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 525, N525P, was destroyed after it impacted terrain near Crozet, Virginia. The private pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was owned by a private individual and was being operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Richmond Executive–Chesterfield County Airport (FCI), Richmond, Virginia, about 2035 and was destined for Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD), Weyers Cave, Virginia. According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot had "a couple of drinks" while they were preparing dinner. The pilot left her home about 1930. The pilot's friend thought that the pilot would be going to a hotel because it was getting dark, but FCI security video showed that the pilot arrived at the airport at 2002 and walked to the airplane at 2004. The pilot then walked around the airplane for about 3 minutes, boarded the airplane, closed the main cabin door, and initiated the engine start sequence at 2017. About 2 minutes later, the airplane began to taxi to the departure end of runway 15 and then taxied back to the departure end of runway 33. The takeoff roll began on runway 33 at 2033. The airport security video showed the windsock, which indicated that the wind favored a departure from runway 15. According to an airport line service employee, the airplane departed with a tailwind. The employee also stated that the
Probable cause
The pilot's loss of control while operating in night instrument meteorological conditions as a result of spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate an airplane after consuming alcohol and his resulting intoxication, which degraded the pilot's judgment and decision-making.
More accidents in VA
- Boeing 757-200, Sep 11, 2001
- Beech B99, Sep 23, 1985
- Beech 65, Sep 10, 1995
- Beech 200, Oct 24, 2004
- Piper PA-31-310, Nov 14, 1982
Browse: Virginia · 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.
