National Transportation Safety Board

Aviation Accident Preliminary Report

Location: Statesboro, GA Accident Number: ERA22FA083

Date & Time: December 7, 2021, 21:24 Local Registration: N5776B
Aircraft: Cessna 182 Injuries: 1 Fatal
Flight Conducted
Part 91: General aviation - Personal
Under:

On December 7, 2021, at 2124 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182 airplane, N5776B, was
destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Statesboro, Georgia. The commercial pilot
was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal
Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
According to a family member who spoke with the pilot the evening of the accident, she had
flown from Florida into the Statesboro-Bulloch County Airport (TBR), Statesboro, Georgia, for
a meeting in the local area and planned to return that night.
Review of preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data found that
the airplane departed runway 14 at 2121. Shortly after takeoff, the flight track turned south,
climbed to about 1,000 ft mean sea level (msl), and then about 1.8nm south of TBR, the
airplane entered a left turn. The airplane continued in a left 360° tightening turn where a
maximum altitude of about 1,800 ft msl was reached, which was subsequently followed by a
rapid descent. The final position recorded at 2124:32 was about .10-mile from the initial
impact which showed the airplane headed east at an altitude of 575 ft msl. Figure 1 displays the
ADS-B flight track, main wreckage area, and witness locations.

Page 1 of 5 ERA22FA083
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
Figure 1: Overview of the ADS-B flight track, wreckage location, and witness positions.
Multiple witnesses reported observing and/or hearing the airplane in-flight. An witness located
at the TBR airport parking lot saw the takeoff. The airplane’s lights were on, and it sounded as
if the airplane was climbing “steeply”, and the engine noise was loud.
Two additional witnesses who were together, located near the airplane’s final few seconds of
flight, reported seeing the airplane while outside in a driveway. One witness reported, she
heard a low flying airplane that sounded like a “crop duster” and “got louder.” She then saw the
right side of the airplane and it appeared to be flying in a “curved” descent that continued into
a “rapid descent.” When the airplane first came into view, she could not recall observing lights
or a glow from the airplane, however, as it flew away from her position, she saw a “sparkler
glow” before it impacted the ground. The other witness also reported observing the airplane fly
nearby in a descent that continued into a rapid descent into a field just beyond his view. He
added that when the airplane flew by, he could see “lights on the bottom” of the airplane. When
asked specifically if he recalled seeing the airplane on fire in the air, he stated “No. It was not.”
Two additional witnesses heard the airplane while in their houses. One of these witnesses was a
private pilot and reported that due to the proximity of his house to the airport, he was
accustomed to hearing airplanes, but this airplane was “unusually low.” He added that the
sound dissipated, but a few minutes later, he heard the airplane again where it sounded like
“the engine was screaming” as if the “throttle was through the panel.” The other witness
located near the accident site in her home reported that she heard an engine noise until a
“thud” was heard.
According to Federal Aviation Administration airman records, the pilot held a commercial pilot
certificate with ratings for airplane single and multi-engine land, with instrument airplane. She

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This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
was issued a second-class medical certificate on December 3, 2020, at which time she reported
a total of 4,000 flight hours and 200 hours within the last 6 months of the exam.
The wreckage was highly fragmented and was oriented on a debris path of about 110°
magnetic. The initial impact ground scar was located about 220 ft from the main wreckage
final resting location and the elevation was about 175 ft msl. Evidence of thermal damage was
observed at the main wreckage. Figure 2 provides an overview of the major components of the
airplane located at the accident site.

Figure 2: Overview of the major components located at the accident site.

All major components of the airplane were located in the debris path. Debris located in the
initial impact scar indicated that the airplane impacted terrain in a descending left bank which
was evident due to the co-location of the left-wing tip and additional left-wing fragment.
Partial flight control continuity was established from the respective flight control surfaces to
the flight controls. The flight control cables that had separated were observed to be consistent
with overload and impact related separation.

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This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
The fuel selector had separated from its attach point. Its valve position was found set the
BOTH position. The elevator trim jack screw was observed to be in a position near the takeoff
setting.
The instrument panel was heavily fragmented, but several instruments were located in the
debris path. A turn coordinator was found displaying a left turn, beyond a standard rate turn.
The heading indicator displayed 090°. The attitude indicator displayed a 50° left bank and a
30° pitch up attitude. The altimeter was found to display 480 ft with an altimeter setting of
30.07. An oil pressure gauge was found indicating 30 psi, which was in the green range. The oil
temperature gauge indicated 150°F.
The engine sustained heavy impact and thermal damage. Its underside displayed significant
damage that allowed the core of the engine to be visible without disassembly. The camshaft was
continuous from the forward and rear section of the engine. Each cylinder displayed varying
degrees of impact damage. The top spark plugs were examined and displayed combustion
signatures ranging from normal to worn-out normal when compared to the Champion
Aerospace Aviation Check-A-Plug chart.
Each cylinder was examined with a borescope. Each valve displayed varying degrees of carbon
deposit build-up, however, no cylinder or piston head displayed mechanical damage and each
cylinder was free from any large debris.
The engine was attempted to be rotated by hand. It could not be rotated through a full engine
cycle due to impact damage, however, a small degree of rotation resulted in the movement of
valves on both sides of the engine.
The vacuum pump remained attached to the accessory section of the engine with safety wire
and screws firmly secured to its casing. It rotated normally when its drive gear was rotated by
hand. The fuel manifold remained intact and the respective fuel lines were continuous to the
cylinders. The propeller had separated from the propeller hub. Its blades exhibited varying
degrees of blade polishing, leading edge gouging, chordwise scratches, and torsional twisting.
According to FAA contract Flight Service Station provider Leidos, there was no record that the
pilot filed a flight plan or requested an official weather briefing via telephone or online. There
was also no record of the pilot contacting FAA air traffic control before or during the flight.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Aircraft and Owner/Operator Information

Aircraft Make: Cessna Registration: N5776B

Model/Series: 182 Aircraft Category: Airplane

Amateur Built:
Operator: On file Operating Certificate(s) None
Held:
Operator Designator Code:

Page 4 of 5 ERA22FA083
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.
 Meteorological Information and Flight Plan
Conditions at Accident Site: IMC Condition of Light: NightDark
Observation Facility, Elevation: TBR,187 ft msl Observation Time: 21:15 Local
Distance from Accident Site: 2 Nautical Miles Temperature/Dew Point: 15°C /13°C
Lowest Cloud Condition: Wind Speed/Gusts, Direction: 4 knots / , 150°
Lowest Ceiling: Overcast / 600 ft AGL Visibility: 7 miles
Altimeter Setting: 30.08 inches Hg Type of Flight Plan Filed: None
Departure Point: Statesboro, GA (TBR) Destination:

Wreckage and Impact Information

Crew Injuries: 1 Fatal Aircraft Damage: Destroyed
Passenger Injuries: N/A Aircraft Fire: On-ground
Ground Injuries: N/A Aircraft Explosion: On-ground
Total Injuries: 1 Fatal Latitude, 32.444496,-81.734249
Longitude:

Administrative Information
Investigator In Charge (IIC):
Additional Participating Persons:
Note:
Gerhardt, Adam
Rodney Hood; FAA/FSDO; Atlanta, GA
Andrew Hall; Textron Aviation; Wichita, KS

Page 5 of 5 ERA22FA083
This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when
the final report has been completed.