SLIDELL, LA, USA
N7351N
CESSNA 182P
THE PILOT RECEIVED A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEFING ABOUT 30 MINUTES BEFORE TAKING OFF AT NIGHT. HE ELECTED TO DEPART VFR WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN INTO AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORMS. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRPLANE FLEW INTO A BAY OF THE GULF OF MEXICO ABOUT 29 MILES FROM THE POINT OF DEPARTURE. RECORDED RADAR DATA AND AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN WHEN IT IMPACTED IN THE BAY. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS FOUND.
THE PILOT'S INITIATION OF THE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH RESULTED IN SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE OVER THE WATER. FACTORS WERE: DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT PREVAILED.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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