History of Flight
On November 15, 2018, at approximately 1827 Pacific standard time, a Cessna 182K airplane, registration N2629R, was destroyed when it struck terrain near Redding, California. The pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
The pilot had filed an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan from Redding Municipal Airport (RDD) to Sacramento Executive Airport (SAC), using the KENDL3 departure. A witness, another pilot at the same fixed base operator, reported that before departure the accident pilot asked about the KENDL3 departure. The witness suggested the HOMAN2 departure instead and noted that a right turn was required after departure. Shortly after, the accident pilot requested a change from the KENDL3 to the HOMAN2 departure from the tower controller. The controller advised the pilot to refile or contact Oakland Center. The pilot subsequently received the IFR clearance release as originally filed (KENDL3 departure). While waiting for takeoff, the witness observed the accident airplane make a left turn during initial climb, whereas the KENDL3 departure required a right turn.
Flight track data from L3/Harris OpsVue showed that the RDD controller cleared the pilot for takeoff on runway 34. Radar data indicated the airplane began drifting left while still over the runway, continuing beyond the departure end. The airplane then initiated a right turn and descended from about 500 ft above ground level (agl) approximately 0.43 mile north of RDD. The last radar target was recorded at 100 ft agl near the accident site.
A security camera video, located about 1 mile southwest of the accident site, captured the airplane in a descending right turn until it disappeared behind a tree line.
Another witness, about 660 ft southeast of the accident site, reported hearing engine power increase to full. He saw the red and green wingtip lights, stating the airplane appeared level but he could not see it due to low visibility and darkness. He then observed the lights "flip over as the airplane was in a roll" and the airplane descend straight toward the ground, with engine sound decreasing just before impact.
Personnel Information
Examination of the pilot's logbook indicated a total flight time of 1,773.8 hours as of the last entry on October 16, 2018. Of those, 191 hours were at night and 72.2 hours were instrument time. In the six months prior, the pilot flew 3.6 hours of actual instrument time. The logbook showed two day visual flight rules flights to and from RDD but no entries for flying an instrument departure procedure from RDD. The last flight review was on May 28, 2018, with 1.3 hours and four landings, not including night, actual, or simulated instrument time.
Meteorological Information
Sunset occurred at 1651 and civil twilight ended at 1721. Weather conditions at the accident time were instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) due to smoke and haze from a nearby forest fire. Ten minutes after the accident, RDD reported calm wind, visibility 2.5 miles, haze, smoke, and a broken ceiling at 2,700 ft agl. AIRMET SIERRA for IFR conditions was active for the area south of the accident site. The Terminal Aerodrome Forecast for RDD at the accident time predicted variable wind 4 knots, visibility 3 miles, smoke, haze, sky clear, with temporary conditions of visibility 2 miles, smoke, haze, and overcast ceiling at 1,500 ft. Satellite data showed a smoke/aerosol cloud over the accident location.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted terrain 0.75 mile northeast of the departure end of runway 34 and cartwheeled before coming to rest upright. The debris path was 275 ft long on a heading of approximately 115° magnetic. The first point of impact (FPOI) was a 12-inch ground scar containing a piece of right-wing structure. Outboard right-wing pieces were scattered along the path to the main wreckage, located about 280 ft southeast of the FPOI. The main wreckage included the engine, most of both wings, cabin, fuselage, and empennage. The engine separated from the firewall and showed multiple impact signatures.
The firewall and instrument panel were crushed together and compressed downward; the panel was extensively damaged. The carburetor heat lever was fully in, the throttle lever was ¾ out, the master switch was on, and the ignition key was off. Both cabin doors were detached. Both wings had leading-edge crush damage; the aileron balance cable was separated due to overstress. Fuel tanks were breached with fuel splash marks. The vertical and horizontal stabilizers, rudder, and elevators remained attached. Flight control continuity was established from bell cranks to the cockpit. The flap actuator was in the up position, and the elevator trim tab actuator was at 10° tab up.
The three-blade propeller was found 164 ft from the FPOI and 109 ft from the main wreckage. All blades had tip damage, leading-edge gouging, and polishing. One blade was bent aft with a piece of the No. 5 cylinder rocker arm embedded. The spinner was crush damaged. The engine rotated manually; all rocker arms, valve springs, and valves moved normally except cylinder No. 5 (rocker arms separated, intake valve stem bent due to impact). Left magneto produced spark; the right magneto's electronic ignition module was impact damaged and untestable. No pre-impact mechanical anomalies were found. The Engine Data Monitor (EDM) unit showed no unusual data.
Medical and Pathological Information
Autopsies performed by the Shasta County Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death for both the pilot and passenger as blunt trauma. No significant natural diseases were identified. Toxicological tests by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory were negative for all tested substances.
Additional Information
The source includes FAA regulations on instrument currency (Part 61.57) and general information on spatial disorientation, but these are not part of the factual accident description.