Cessna 182H accident near Park Falls, Wisconsin, April 14, 2011
On April 14, 2011 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182H, registered N8364S, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Park Falls, Wisconsin (Park Falls Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during an aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2011 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Park Falls, Wisconsin · Park Falls Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · all 182Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8364S · no longer on the register · serial 18256464
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach to the runway, the airplane encountered unexpected wind, and the student pilot decided to abort the landing. He then applied full throttle and increased pitch. During the attempted aborted landing, a right quartering tailwind blew the airplane off the runway area, and the left wing and nose wheel contacted the terrain. The airplane came to rest upright adjacent to the runway and sustained substantial damage to the engine firewall and both wings. The student pilot stated there were no anomalies with the airframe or engine. He recommended that the accident could have been prevented if he maintained sufficient airspeed during final approach.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 41 hours in all; 39 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,282 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RPD Rice Lake WI at 5:15 pm
- Destination: PKF Park Falls WI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.