Aviation Accident Summaries

Aviation Accident Summary CEN15LA012

Orange, TX, USA

Aircraft #1

N2437G

CESSNA 182B

Analysis

The pilot reported that he made three radio calls stating his intentions to land. When the airplane was about 25 to 50 ft above the runway, the pilot saw an agricultural airplane making a nonstandard, low circling approach to land on the opposing runway. The pilot added full power and initiated a shallow, right climbing turn to go around to avoid the other airplane. The pilot then banked the airplane left to avoid obstacles parked on the ramp and subsequently lost airplane control, and the airplane then impacted terrain. The agricultural pilot stated that he was not in the traffic pattern at the time of the accident.

Factual Information

On October 15, 2014, about 1145 central daylight time, a Cessna 182B airplane, N2437G, collided with the terrain following a loss of control during a go-around while landing at the Orange County Airport (ORG), Orange, Texas. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was substantially damaged. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which was not operated on a flight plan. The local flight originated from ORG at 1100. The pilot reported he made three radio calls announcing he was making a straight in approach to land on runway 4. He stated that when he was over the runway at an altitude of 25 to 50 feet, he saw a yellow agricultural airplane fly an arc over the northern end of the runway at an altitude of 75 to 100 feet. The pilot added full power and began a shallow right climbing turn to go-around. The pilot stated he then banked left to avoid obstructions on the ramp at which time the airplane lost lift and the left wing contacted the ground. The airplane impacted the ground, spun to the left and skidded about 50 feet prior to coming to rest. The pilot of the agricultural airplane stated he was not in the traffic pattern at the time of the accident and that he did not see the accident airplane. The agricultural pilot stated he had a radio installed in the airplane and he thought it was on at the time of the accident. One witness who was on the ramp stated he saw the accident airplane just prior to it contacting the ground. He stated he ran to the airplane just after the accident to see if everyone was alright and when he turned around the yellow airplane was taxing onto the ramp to be loaded.

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control during a go-around to avoid another airplane that was making a nonstandard approach to the opposing runway. Contributing to the accident was the other pilot’s use of a nonstandard approach while landing on the opposing runway.

 

Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database

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