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Pilot crashes after reaching for iPad on landing

By NTSB · March 9, 2020 ·

The pilot reported that during landing at the airport in Rockford, Illinois, about 20′ above ground level and about 80 kts, he reached for his iPad.

He took his eyes off the runway to grab the device that was on the seat next to him, and the Cessna 182 hit the ground in a nose-down attitude.

The pilot reported that he should not have taken his eyes off the runway during landing.

The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage stringers, longerons, and formers.

The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause: The pilot’s unnecessary action during the approach, which resulted in a hard landing.

NTSB Identification: GAA18CA157

This March 2018 accident report is provided by the National Transportation Safety Board. Published as an educational tool, it is intended to help pilots learn from the misfortunes of others.

About NTSB

The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent federal agency charged by Congress with investigating every civil aviation accident in the United States and significant events in the other modes of transportation, including railroad, transit, highway, marine, pipeline, and commercial space. It determines the probable causes of accidents and issues safety recommendations aimed at preventing future occurrences.

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Comments

  1. NEIL COSENTINO says

    March 15, 2020 at 8:19 am

    If you dont know about every accident … you are more likely to repeat it

  2. george catalano says

    March 14, 2020 at 4:44 am

    After 42 years of flying I am still amazed we have licensed pilots doing such @!#$!^&!! stuff.

  3. Captain says

    March 10, 2020 at 4:55 pm

    So much for the big push on multi tasking. Can’t be done. Fly the acft. first then move to the next task. This is a perfect example!

  4. Joe Henry Gutierrez says

    March 10, 2020 at 12:16 pm

    That’s great !!!

  5. Henry K. Cooper says

    March 10, 2020 at 6:06 am

    Why bust up a nice 182 to grab a cell phone…… 10 seconds from touchdown. Very, very stupid.

    • Chuck Thibault says

      March 26, 2020 at 1:09 pm

      What call phone?

  6. Don R. says

    March 9, 2020 at 7:02 am

    I can’t fix stupid, all I can do is help remove it from the gene pool.

  7. Jim Roberts says

    March 9, 2020 at 6:49 am

    We now have a corollary to the ancient wisdom…

    “DON’T DROP THE AIRPLANE TO FLY THE MICROPHONE!'”

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