Cessna 152 accident near Fort Rice, ND
On July 17, 2018, a Cessna 152 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Fort Rice, ND. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- July 17, 2018
- Place
- Fort Rice, ND
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 46.528°N, 100.567°W
- NTSB ID
- 20180717X95107
Official records · CEN18FA277
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn July 17, 2018, about 1423 central daylight time, a Cessna 152 II, N24515, sustained substantial damage when it was involved in an accident near Fort Rice, North Dakota. The commercial pilot sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial photography flight. The purpose of the flight was to take photographs of farms and ranches in Morton County, North Dakota. The pilot used a handheld digital camera and took photographs with the left window of the airplane opened. The pilot also used a kneeboard with a county map to locate the target areas. To photograph the targets, the pilot would set engine power between 1,800 and 2,200 rpm and fly at a 45° approach angle toward the target, positioning the camera forward of the wing strut to not get the strut or the airplane's propeller in the photograph. On the day of the accident, the pilot conducted the preflight of the airplane at Mandan Municipal Airport (Y19), Mandan, North Dakota, and reported to a mechanic that he would return to the airport about lunchtime. The airplane departed from the airport about 0845 and returned at some point before 1330, after which the mechanic refueled the airplane. During the payment process for the fuel, the mechanic observed that the pilot "kept rubbing his eyes like he was tired." The mechanic suggested that the pilot take a nap before continuing flight operations, to which the pilot replied that he could not make any money if he did not fly. The accident flight departed about 1337. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to use carburetor heat in conditions that were conducive to serious carburetor icing, which resulted in a loss of engine power, an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack, and an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's diverted attention during the low-level aerial observation flight.
More accidents in ND
- Cessna 401A, Feb 24, 1994
- Piper PA-24-250, Oct 22, 1986
- Cessna 441, Nov 18, 2018
- Piper PA 28-140, Jun 9, 2016
- Beech V35B, Jul 31, 1992
Browse: North Dakota · 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.
