N2579R

On July 9, 2007, about 1230 central daylight time, a Cessna 182K, N2579R, piloted by a private pilot, sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during a forced landing at the Jana Airport, near Edgerton, Wisconsin, following a loss of electrical power and reported loss of engine power during cruise. The personal flight was operating under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and one passenger sustained no injuries. The pilot reported that one passenger sustained minor injury. The flight originated from the Merrill Municipal Airport, near Merrill, Wisconsin, about 1100 and was destined for the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport, near Janesville, Wisconsin.

The pilot's accident report, in part, stated:

[Twenty miles northwest] of Janesville I reported my position with

information Zulu to Janesville approach. At that time my radios

went dead along with all electrical so I decided to divert to Fort

Atkinson (61C) a non towered paved strip. Southwest of Edgerton

my engine failed so I found Jana (58C) on my Garmin 296 hand

held GPS for an emergency landing. With no electric I could not

use flaps and was at 800 ft on short final for [runway] 36 - a 2,300 ft

grass strip. Coming in at about 140 at the threshold of 36 I had to

force it to the ground causing it to porpoise when I got all landing

gear on turf I was still going fast and was at the end of the runway.

With a road and a house just a few hundred feet ahead I decided to

turn into the corn on my left to stop.

Federal Aviation Administration Inspectors examined the wreckage. A loose alternator wire was found. The engine was subsequently started on-scene and ran.

The approach speed with no flaps for the 182K is 80 to 90 MPH.