Cessna A185F accident near Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania, May 30, 2002
On May 30, 2002 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N1577B, was destroyed in an accident near Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain aircraft control, resulting in overstress of the aircraft. A factor was the thunderstorm activity.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2002 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pleasant Mount, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N1577B · no longer on the register · serial 18503015
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was at cruise flight at 11,000 feet with an instrument rated private pilot and passenger aboard. Thunderstorms and convective activity were in the area. The pilot elected to continue toward the weather, and requested to deviate around it, but did not specify a direction. After receiving permission for the deviation, the airplane first turned left while maintaining altitude, and then turned right greater than 90 degrees, and descended. The last radar contact was at 9,300 feet, after which radio and radar contact was lost. Witnesses on the ground observed the airplane in a descent estimated to be between 30 and 45 degrees nose down, below the base of the clouds, and could hear the engine operating. The witnesses observed the airplane come apart, while operating clear of clouds. One witness reported the descent started to shallow just prior to the airplane coming apart. The debris trail to the impact crater was 1,033 feet long, and it extended an additional 486 feet beyond the impact crater. The horizontal stabilizer and wings had downward bending on their spars. One propeller blade was found in the main impact crater, separated from the propeller hub, with "S" bending on the leading and trailing edges of the blade.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,470.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 2001; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 07C Auburn IN at 7:45 pm
- Destination: OXC Oxford CT
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from AVP, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.