Cessna 182T accident near Double Springs, Alabama, April 1, 2006

The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record

The pilot departed Pine Bluff, Arkansas on a local flight and landed in Clarksdale, Mississippi. The pilot informed a lineman after landing that he had been flying for 60 years and that he was lost, almost out of gas, did not have any maps, and he did not know how to get home. An attempt was made by the lineman to fly with the pilot back to Pine Bluff or drive him home in a car. The pilot declined the offer. The pilot departed Clarksdale enroute to Pine Bluff. A witness located in the vicinity of Double Springs, Alabama, observed the airplane approaching his location at a very low altitude above the trees. The airplane turned to the left, flew over a day care center, made another turn, and flew towards the south. A short time later the witness heard an impact noise. The witness informed his mother he thought an airplane had crashed. They both departed to a friends house located in the vicinity of the crash site, went to the edge of a wood line and observed a flashing red light. They called out to see if any one would answer, the pilot responded and walked out of the wood line. The pilot informed them he had been involved in a vehicle accident. Examination of the airplane revealed the right wing was accelerated forward. The left wing was separated from the airframe and the leading edge of the wing was compressed inward. The left and right flaps were fully extended. No anomalies were noted with the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly and accessories. The pilot stated in an interview with the NTSB investigator-in-charge that he had no idea how he ended up in Double Springs, Alabama. The pilot had been diagnosed by his private physician with dementia since 2003, but had concealed that diagnosis from the FAA.

The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.