NTSB Factual Report

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On November 23, 2009, about 1730 central standard time, a Cessna 182P, N1986M, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the ground shortly after takeoff from runway 09 at the Kewanee Municipal Airport (EZI), Kewanee, Illinois. The 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight was operating without a flight plan in night marginal visual meteorological conditions. The pilot and one passenger received minor injuries. One passenger received fatal injuries. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and its final destination was the Memphis Memorial Airport (03D), Memphis, Missouri.

The pilot reported that he and his wife had arrived at EZI earlier on the afternoon of the accident. He stated that they had intended on flying from 03D to the Marshall County Airport (C75), in Lacon, Illinois, to pick up their great-grandson and fly him back to their home in Missouri. He stated that they did not land at C75, but diverted to EZI due to adverse weather conditions at C75. He stated that upon landing at EZI they waited for their great-grandson to be brought to the airport and then they departed EZI. The pilot reported that the weather conditions were clear skies with 3 to 4 miles forward visibility. He reported that the takeoff from runway 09 started normally, but his next memory was waking up in a corn field.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The 82 year old pilot held a private pilot airman certificate with a single engine land airplane rating. He did not have an instrument rating. A review of the pilot’s flight logbook revealed that he had accumulated 2,269 total flight hours with 780 in the same make and model as the accident airplane. He also listed having 75 hours of night flight experience. The last recorded night flight was on January 2, 2007. His most recent flight review as required by 14 CFR 61.56 was completed on March 2, 2009.

The pilot also held a third class airman medical certificate issued on February 24, 2009. The certificate required the pilot to possess lenses that correct for near vision while exercising the privileges of his airman certificate.

AIRCRAFT INFORMATION

The airplane was a 1976 single engine Cessna model 182P, serial number 18264515. The airplane was a 4-seat, high-wing, strut braced monoplane of predominately aluminum construction. It had a fixed tricycle landing gear. The airplane was powered by a Continental O-470-S engine, serial number 463819. The engine was rated to produce 230 horsepower. According to the pilot’s report of the accident the airplane had accumulated 2,735 hours total time in service and the engine had accumulated 1,192 hours since its most recent overhaul. The most recent annual inspection of the airplane was conducted on April 1, 2009.

METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATION

On the day of the accident, sunset occurred at 1635 and the end of civil twilight was at 1705.

At 1725, the recorded weather at the Galesburg Municipal Airport, Galesburg, Illinois, about 27 nautical miles southwest of the accident site, was: Wind 100 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 5 statute miles with haze; clear skies; temperature 9 degrees Celsius (C); dew point 6 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.05 inches of mercury (inHg).

At 1725, the recorded weather at C75, about 29 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, was: Wind 070 degrees at 4 knots; visibility 3 statute miles with mist; overcast skies at 500 feet above ground level (agl); temperature 7 degrees C; dew point 6 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.09 inHg.

At 1725, the recorded weather at the Illinois Valley Regional Airport, Peru, Illinois, about 38 nautical miles east of the accident site, was: Wind 110 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 5 statute miles with mist; overcast skies at 600 feet agl; temperature 8 degrees C; dew point 6 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.09 inHg.

At 1735, the recorded weather at the Whiteside County Airport, Sterling/Rockfalls, Illinois, about 35 nautical miles north of the accident site, was: Wind 110 degrees at 6 knots; visibility 3 statute miles; overcast skies at 800 feet agl; temperature 7 degrees C; dew point 6 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.10 inHg.

At 1752, the recorded weather at the Quad City International Airport, Moline, Illinois, about 29 nautical miles northwest of the accident site, was: Wind 080 degrees at 9 knots; visibility 4 statute miles with mist; clear skies; temperature 7 degrees C; dew point 5 degrees C; altimeter setting 30.07 inHg.

AIRPORT INFORMATION

EZI was a non-towered publicly owned airport located about 3 miles southwest of Kewanee, Illinois. It had 2 intersecting runways. Runway 09/27 was 4,500 feet by 75 feet and had an asphalt surface. Runway 01/19 was 3,200 feet by 60 feet and had an asphalt surface. Both runways were lighted with medium intensity runway edge lights. The runways were lighted from dusk until dawn at low intensity. Pilots were able to select medium intensity lighting using the common traffic advisory frequency.

WRECKAGE AND IMPACT INFORMATION

The airplane came to rest in an unharvested corn field about 0.5 miles south of EZI. The wreckage path proceeded from the initial impact point in a westerly direction for several hundred feet.

The left wing was separated from the airplane at the wing root. Evidence of a fuel spill was found in the area where the left wing came to rest. The right wing remained attached to the fuselage. The right wing still contained fuel. The outboard half of the right wing exhibited crush damage. The aft fuselage and empennage were partially separated from the cabin section of the fuselage just aft of the baggage compartment. The aft fuselage and tail surfaces exhibited evidence of twisting. The forward fuselage was upright in a nose high position. The main landing gear remained attached to the fuselage. The nose landing gear was separated.

Examination of the control system revealed continuity of the elevator, rudder, and elevator trim controls from their respective cockpit controls to the control surfaces. The right aileron control cable was intact from the cockpit controls to the aileron. The left aileron control cable was separated within the cable path inside the left door post. The balance cable between the left and right ailerons was separated within the cable routing path in the ceiling of the cabin. Both breaks in the aileron control system exhibited signatures consistent with overload failure. No pre-impact failures were found with respect to the airframe or its systems.

The engine was separated from the engine mount. The propeller remained attached to the engine's crankshaft flange. Both propeller blades remained attached to the hub. The engine was examined and was found to rotate. Oil was present within the engine. During rotation, spark was observed from all spark plug leads on both magnetos. The engine produced compression and suction on all cylinders and valve system continuity was established. The carburetor was separated from the intake system but remained attached to the induction "Y" pipe. The carburetor was disassembled and no defects were noted. The carburetor air box was smashed and separated from the carburetor. No pre-impact failures were found with respect to the engine or its systems.

The engine mounted dry vacuum pump was removed and disassembled. The vacuum pump drive coupling was intact as were the internal components of the pump.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The recent flight experience requirements of 14 CFR 61.57 state that, in order to act as pilot in command of an aircraft carrying passengers during night flight, the pilot must have made at least three takeoffs and three landings to a full stop during the period beginning 1 hour after sunset and ending 1 hour before sunrise.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's decision to initiate a visual night flight without recent night flight experience and his failure to maintain altitude during departure.