Cessna 182S accident near Accident, Maryland, October 31, 2002
On October 31, 2002 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Cessna 182S, registered N7099L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Accident, Maryland (Garret County Airport). It was a personal 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 pilots improper in-flight decision to continue flight into known adverse weather conditions. A factor related to the accident was the icing conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 2002 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Accident, Maryland · Garret County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182S · all 182Ss on the register
- Registration
- N7099L · no longer on the register · serial 18280547
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had attended initial instrument flight training at a facility in Ohio during the 2 weeks prior to the accident. Unable to complete the training, he elected to return home to Connecticut. While en route, the pilot contacted air traffic control for flight following advisories and information about the cloud conditions ahead of him. The pilot also contacted a flight service station (FSS), for further weather advisories. Upon contact with the FSS, the pilot stated that he was in level flight at 3,300 feet, flying in and out of the clouds, and encountering light icing conditions. The FSS specialist advised the pilot of instrument meteorological conditions along the route of flight, mountain obscuration, and icing conditions. The FSS specialist also recommended that the pilot climb to 6,000 feet, where he could expect VFR. The pilot responded that his flight conditions were "not that bad," and he would remain at 3,300 feet. The weather advisory was terminated, and the pilot re-contacted the air traffic controller, requesting a climb because he had rime ice. The controller replied that an airplane had reported ice at 7,000 feet, and another had reported cloud tops at 7,400 feet. The pilot then stated that he could not maintain VFR, and had "been in it" for 10-15 minutes. He further stated that he was getting some ice build up, but was "ok" with it. The controller then observed the accident airplane's target disappear from the radar screen. No further transmissions were received from the pilot. A witness who lived less than a 1/4 mile from the accident site observed the airplane descend out of the clouds, heading south. The airplane passed overhead, just over the treetops, made a 180-degree turn to the right, and descended into a field. The airplane touched down hard, and came to rest upright in the soft, plowed, field. Witnesses reported that the weather about the time of the accident included a low cloud layer, and mixed precipitation of ice and snow.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 836 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 25 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,110 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: I69 Batavia OH at 2:00 pm
- Destination: MMK Meriden CT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MGW, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.