Cessna 177RG accident near Mena, Arkansas, November 11, 2008
On November 11, 2008 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N2526V, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Mena, Arkansas (Mena Intermountain airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from rising terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's continued flight into deteriorating weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 2008 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mena, Arkansas · Mena Intermountain · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N2526V · no longer on the register · serial 177RG0603
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was en-route to a business engagement and was flying in an area of deteriorating weather conditions. The airplane impacted a mountain ridge in instrument meteorological conditions and was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. A witness, located approximately one mile north of the accident site, heard the sounds of impact and described “very foggy” conditions with a visibility of 50 feet. Another witness driving along the highway on the mountain ridge was in “dense fog” with visibility of 1/4 mile. The witness saw the wreckage on the side of the highway with the airplane fully involved in fire. The witness said the pilot was unbelted and almost completely outside the airplane. Because of the flames the witness said he was unable to get close enough to move the pilot. An examination of the airframe and engine showed no evidence of a preexisting anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. The report of the medical examiner noted the pilot’s cause of death as “Hypertensive Arteriosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease.” The pilot apparently died of a pre-existing natural disease during his attempt to extricate himself from the wreckage.
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.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
- Fire/smoke (post-impact) during post (impact)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Physical › Impairment/incapacitation › Cardiovascular › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Decision related to condition
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low ceiling › Decision related to condition
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,228 hours in all; 2,525 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: September 4, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,676 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2008; 185 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1H5 Willlow Springs MO
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from MEZ, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.