# Accident 19981120032529A: Cessna 182C, St Petersburg, FL, November 20, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 20, 1998, 10:45 local time
- Place: St Petersburg, FL
- Airport: Albert Whitted Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.7700° N, 82.6304° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.7700&lon=-82.6304&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8620T, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8620T-2010-05-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 182C (registry code 2072708, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental O-470 series (registry code 17026, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182C
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 703 total, 32 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA99LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA035) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981120032529A

## Narrative

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

(.19)ON NOVEMBER 2, 1998, ABOUT 1045 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 182C, N8620T, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING A LANDING AT THE ALBERT WHITTED AIRPORT, ST. PETERSBURG, FLORIDA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT.  THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.  THE PRIVATE PILOT, AND ONE PASSENGER REPORTED NO INJURIES.  THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1030. FROM PALMETTO, FLORIDA.  THE FLIGHT DEPARTED PALMETTO UNDER A SPECIAL VFR REQUEST EN ROUTE TO ST. PETERSBURG.  ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS HE BEGAN TO FLARE THE AIRPLANE THE PLANE DROPPED AS IF A STRONG DOWNDRAFT HIT.  THE REPORTED WINDS AND VISIBILITY AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS:  WINDS FROM 140 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 1 3/4 SM, WITH HAZE.  THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAD OCCURRED, ABOUT 1 WEEK LATER SOMEONE REPORTED THE INCIDENT TO THE FAA.  WHEN AN INSPECTOR WAS DISPATCHED TO EXAMINE THE WRECKAGE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4) THE FLIGHT WAS UNDER A SPECIAL VFR REQUEST EN ROUTE TO ST.          PETERSBURG. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AS HE BEGAN TO FLARE THE AIRPLANE THE PLANE DROPPED AS IF A STRONG DOWNDRAFT HIT. THE REPORTED WINDS AND VISIBILITY AT THE AIRPORT ABOUT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED AS: WINDS FROM 140 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS 1 3/4 SM, WITH HAZE. THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED IMMEDIATELY AFTER IT HAD OCCURRED, ABOUT 1 WEEK LATER AN FAA INSPECTOR WAS DOING A SURVEILLANCE AT AN FBO (FIXED BASE OPERATOR) AND NOTICED N8620T WITH IT'S NOSE GEAR `SEVERELY BENT AFT.' WHEN THE INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA'S REPORT, `[THE] PILOT HAD A HARD LANDING CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE.' (-23) PILOT HAD HARD LANDING CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE.

## 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 MIA99LA035](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA035), Nov 20, 1998: Cessna 182C (N8620T), St. Petersburg, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a hard land and subsequent damage to the airplane.

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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