No fatalities

Loss of Electrical Power Prior to Night Landing Leads to Runway Sign Impact and Firewall Damage

Alexandria, MN, United States

On November 12, 2011, a CESSNA 182J operated by ST CLOUD CIV AIR PAT FLYING CLUB INC was involved in an aviation accident near Alexandria, MN. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the night landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 2026-08-03Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported losing electrical power before a night landing. During the flare, the stall warning activated and runway lights were lost on one side. The nose gear struck a runway sign, causing substantial firewall damage.

Incident Summary

A pilot experienced a loss of electrical power while preparing for a night landing. The event occurred as the airplane was on final approach. The pilot reported that the electrical failure happened prior to landing, affecting critical systems.

Pilot Report

According to the pilot, during the landing flare, the stall warning sounded. Simultaneously, the pilot lost sight of the runway lights on the right side of the airplane. The pilot stated that, aside from the loss of electrical power, there were no other mechanical malfunctions with the airplane.

Damage and Findings

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. This occurred when the nose landing gear impacted a runway sign and subsequently buckled under the airplane. The resulting structural deformation concentrated on the firewall area. No other damage or anomalies were reported by the pilot. The investigation focused on the electrical system failure, but no further mechanical issues were identified.

Contributing factors

Causes

PilotDirectional control — Not attained/maintained

Other contributing factors

Effect on operationElectrical power system — Failure