What happened
On July 7, 2024, a Cessna 182A, registration N2198G, crashed near Rutherfordton, North Carolina, resulting in 3 fatal injuries. The aircraft was being operated as a Part 91 positioning flight from Johnson County Airport (6A4) in Mountain City, Tennessee, to Rutherford County Airport/Marchman Field (FQD).
The aircraft had been leased by Skydive Mountain City LLC from Airstar Aviation LLC for skydiving operations. On the day of the accident, the aircraft had completed eight jump loads. While the weather had been impacted by clouds and storms earlier in the day, the pilot decided to proceed with the flight to FQD after checking the weather and seeing that conditions appeared to have cleared.
At approximately 20:30, the pilot and two passengers—both skydiving instructors—departed 6A4. ADS-B data indicates that after departure, the aircraft initially flew at 3,425 feet msl. After a period without surveillance coverage, the aircraft was tracked again at 20:55:38 at 5,800 feet msl. During this period, the aircraft entered a descending spiral, then proceeded south, entered a second descending spiral, and eventually entered a third descending spiral.
The final ADS-B data point was recorded at 21:06:48, showing the aircraft at 2,250 feet msl on a track of 100 degrees with a ground speed of 136 knots.
A witness near Marion, North Carolina, reported seeing the aircraft flying north to south under a cloud ceiling at approximately 1,500 feet. The witness noted the engine sounded strong but observed significant moisture and fog in the area.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage at the accident site revealed that the aircraft impacted mountainous terrain in a wings-level, nose-low attitude at an altitude of approximately 2,000 feet. The impact sequence involved striking a tall tree, followed by a thicket of trees, and then dense brush and terrain.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including a post-impact fire that thermally damaged the fuselage and cockpit. The empennage was separated from the fuselage, and the engine was found detached from its mounts. The propeller hub had separated from the crankshaft, and both propeller blades showed power signatures. The fuel selector valve was found in the "Both" position, and 100LL fuel was present in the selector lines.