Witness Stated That The Airplane “Did Not Sound Right.”

Location: Centennial, CO Accident Number: CEN22FA376
Date & Time: August 9, 2022, 12:50 Local Registration: N727PC
Aircraft: Cessna 182Q Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted Under: Part 91: General aviation - Unknown

On August 9, 2022, at 1250 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N727PC, was destroyed when it was in involved in an accident near Centennial, Colorado. The pilot was fatally injured.

The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 flight. The airplane owner stated that he did not know why the pilot was flying the airplane and that the pilot had been checked out in the airplane. A flight instructor, who had flown with the pilot for purposes of an airplane checkout, stated that the pilot had not completed an airplane checkout and that the planned checkout had a five-hour flight duration. The last entry in the pilot’s logbook was dated July 15, 2022, for a flight in the accident airplane that was 1.2 hours in duration, and it was the only logbook entry listing the accident airplane.

A witness stated that the airplane “did not sound right.” He said the airplane was “sputtering,” and about 150 – 200 ft above ground level, the airplane nose went down, the airplane rapidly lost altitude, and the airplane impacted the ground.

A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed a nose-low, low-speed impact with terrain, consistent with an aerodynamic stall. There was no fuel in either wing tank. The fuel system header tank contained about 1/2 pint of fuel. There was no fuel in the fuel lines leading to the engine. The examination confirmed flight control continuity. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

FMI: www.ntsb.gov