# Accident 19970518019509A: Cessna 182G, Spartanburg, SC, May 18, 1997

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 18, 1997, 16:30 local time
- Place: Spartanburg, SC
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: To Aborted (Fixed Wing)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.0808° N, 81.8606° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0808&lon=-81.8606&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3182S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3182S-2007-11-21) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna Wren 182G 460 (registry code 2075802, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-wren-182g-460) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182G
- Reported engine: CONT O470R
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,468 total, 98 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA97LA169](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA169) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19970518019509A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

TRIED TO DEPART SHORT UPHILL TALL GRASS STRIP. UNABLE FLYING SPEED. ABORTED. GROUND LOOPED TO AVOID OVERRUN. (-23) THE FIELD THAT WAS USED FOR TAKEOFF WAS NOT AN OFFICIAL AIRPORT AND WAS NOT MAINTAINED FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE HE TOOK OFF, HE DID NOT LOOK OVER THE FIELD TO ASSURE IT WOULD BE SUITABLE.  THE INITIAL TAKEOFF ROLL WAS APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET AND ON AN INCLINE. DUE TO THE INCLINE AND ROUGH TERRAIN, HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED FOR TAKEOFF, SO HE DECIDED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF ROLL ONTO AN AREA THAT WAS APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET AND ON A DECLINE AND HAD A GROWTH ABOUT TWO FEET HIGH.  THE AIRCRAFT STILL HAD NOT GAINED SUFFICIENT AIRSPEED TO BECOME AIRBORNE.  THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE AIRCRAFT TO THE LEFT AS TO AVOID COLLIDING WITH THE TREES COMING UP AHEAD.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB MIA97LA169](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA97LA169), May 18, 1997: Cessna Wren 182G-460 (N3182S), Spartanburg, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, by failure to survey the takeoff area, and his delay in aborting the takeoff. Upsloping terrain and high vegetation in the takeoff area were…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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