The pilot, an Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) trooper, was dispatched near Tecumseh, Okla., to assist fellow OHP troopers and a local police department in the pursuit of an individual who was involved in a traffic accident.
The driver fled the scene after the accident and was thought to be hiding in a wooded area.
The pilot established radio contact with an OHP trooper on the ground; however, he was not able to contact the local police officers by radio.
As the local police officers approached the location of the vehicle driver, they looked up at the Cessna 182S for further guidance. At that time, the pilot reduced the airplane’s engine power and entered a slow descending turn over the vehicle driver’s location, and the police officers on the ground began walking toward the individual.
About the same time, the airplane’s aerodynamic stall warning sounded. The left wing subsequently “stalled hard,” and the airplane pitched nose-down and started to rotate to the left. The pilot was able to maintain directional control and avoided a spin, however, he was not able to fully recover from the stall, and the airplane hit the terrain. He was seriously injured.
The NTSB determined the probable cause as the pilot’s inadvertent aerodynamic stall at a low altitude, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
NTSB Identification: CEN13TA441
This July 2013 accident report is are provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.
Since when does leaving the scene of an accident precipitate (pun intended) this kind of a Gestapo ahhh law enforcement response? GRRRRR!!!
distracted driving?
these cowboys obviously need more training
wwhat a waste of taxpayer dollars on plane and recovery
Ouch! Never send an airplane to do a helicopter’s job.
Here is hoping the pilot/officer makes a full recovery and is back in the cockpit ASAP.