Cessna 182 accident near Mccall, Idaho, April 27, 2003
On April 27, 2003 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N5595B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mccall, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadvertent entry into instrument meteorological conditions while maneuvering in the area of rapidly growing cumulus clouds. Factors include the pilot's improper decision to try to out-climb the rising clouds, mountainous terrain, falling snow, icing conditions, and no suitable place on which to make a precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 2003 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mccall, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N5595B · registry record · serial 33595
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route to Copenhaver Ranch Airstrip, the pilot entered an area of rapidly building cumulus clouds. Although he climbed to 14,500 feet in order to attempt to fly over the top of the clouds, he found that the clouds were building faster than the aircraft could climb. He therefore inadvertently entered the cloud formation and soon encountered icing conditions. As ice began to accumulate on the aircraft, the pilot entered a rapid dive to about 9,000 feet, but when he leveled off ice continued to accumulate, and the pilot felt the aircraft was near stalling. About that time he saw an opening in the clouds and observed what he thought was Box Lake. He therefore descended through the hole and found himself in a heavy snowstorm over the lake. He flew around the lake a few times, but could not find a way to escape the instrument conditions. Then, because more ice was accumulating, the pilot made the decision to attempt a precautionary landing near the shoreline of the Lake. During the touchdown on snow that was ultimately determined to be more than ten feet thick, the aircraft collided with hidden obstructions and flipped over. The pilot was ultimately rescued two days later by snowmobilers who inadvertently came across 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID at 3:30 pm
- Destination: Copenhaver ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 25 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.