Cessna 182 N2012F accident near Ephraim, Wisconsin

Probable cause

The pilot's improper decision to execute a maneuvering approach at low altitude during night conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot was flying a passenger, who was a student pilot, home after her completion of a lesson with a flight instructor. During the night arrival to a nontowered airport, the pilot descended to about 150 ft above the ground on an extended right base to the runway. He subsequently flew across the runway's final approach course and began a left turn away from the runway, which continued for about 300° until impact with 50-ft-tall trees.

Although adequate visibility and moon illumination existed for a night visual approach, the runway's final approach was over an unpopulated state park surrounded by water on three sides with little cultural lighting. The lack of visual cues over this dark area likely contributed to the pilot perceiving his altitude to be higher than it was. Additionally, when the pilot turned left toward the dark area, he turned the airplane away from the runway's visual glideslope indicator, which could have provided the pilot with information about his height above the terrain. Further, the low altitude at which the pilot approached the airport and subsequently initiated his maneuvering to align with the runway did not allow for any imprecision in altitude control.

It is unlikely that the pilot's diabetes, high blood pressure, or medications used to treat these conditions impaired the pilot or contributed to the accident. Additionally, there is no evidence the pilot's coronary artery disease or bilateral cataracts impaired the pilot or contributed to the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN16FA373 for the full record.