On December 31, 2006, a Cessna TR182 (registration N7090S) was involved in an aviation accident near Charlotte, NC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was instrument meteorological conditions. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Pilot struggled to maintain heading and altitude during instrument approach; airplane emerged from clouds in a nose-dive and broke apart before impact. No mechanical anomalies found.
Incident Overview
While receiving vectors for an instrument approach, the pilot experienced difficulty maintaining the assigned heading and altitude. The air traffic controller issued multiple vectors to assist the pilot and instructed him to "check [his] altitude" after observing the airplane was 400 feet too low. Witnesses reported seeing the airplane emerge from the base of a cloud deck in a nose-dive, after which it broke apart before impacting the ground.
Flight and Pilot Details
The pilot held 465 hours of total flight experience, with 7.8 hours of actual instrument experience. The most recent actual instrument experience was 1 hour, recorded 3 months prior to the accident.
Aircraft Examination
Examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical anomalies. Sections of the left wing exhibited upward loading.
What happened in the 31 Dec 2006 Cessna TR182 accident near Charlotte, NC?
Pilot struggled to maintain heading and altitude during instrument approach; airplane emerged from clouds in a nose-dive and broke apart before impact. No mechanical anomalies found.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 31 Dec 2006 involved a Cessna TR182, registration N7090S, at Charlotte, NC.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot's spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and subsequent in-flight breakup. Contributing to the accident was instrument meteorological conditions.
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