- Date
- March 18, 2004, 14:30 local (19:30 UTC)
- Place
- Eden, GA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4GBCessna 182K
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 7, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Atlanta FSDO
- FAA report
- 20040318035519A
- Case key
- 58918
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Loss of engine power due to improper installation by maintenance personnel which resulted in the mixture control cable becoming disconnected in-flight. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the in-flight collision with trees.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, he was conducting a test flight following the installation of an overhauled engine. He said that during the installation he drained all fuel from the airplane and added about 38 gallons of 100LL fuel. After ground runs of approximately 20-minutes with no problems noted he re-started the engine, did a standard run-up and taxied to the runway and took off at 1429. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. As the pilot maneuvered for the forced landing, the airplane collided with the tops of trees, the runway, and flipped inverted. Examination of the engine found the mixture control cable disconnected from the carburetor. During the post-accident examination of the the airplane, the engine ran without any discrepancies after the mixture control cable was reconnected.
Factual narrative
On March 18, 2004, at 1430 eastern standard time, a Cessna 182K, N4GB, registered to and operated by the private pilot, collided with trees and subsequently the ground shortly after takeoff from the Cypress Lakes Subdivision, private grass strip, in Eden, Georgia. The flight was operated under the provision of Title 14 CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The pilot received serious injuries and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight originated from the private air strip, Eden, Georgia, on March 18, 2004, at 1429.
According to the pilot, he was conducting a test flight following the installation of an overhauled engine. Since the airplane had a supplemental type certificate for the use of automotive fuel, and it was recommended by the engine rebuild facility that the 100 low-lead aviation fuel be used in the rebuilt engine for the first 50 hours. Therefore, the mechanic drained the automotive fuel from the fuel system, and replaced it with 38 gallons of 100 low-lead aviation fuel. After ground runs of approximately 20-minutes with no problems noted he re-started the engine, did a standard run-up and taxied to the runway for a takeoff.
According to a witness, shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted to return to the runway. As the pilot maneuvered for the forced landing, the airplane collided with the tops of trees, descended and collided with the runway, and flipped inverted.
The pilot stated that he had been knocked unconscious in the accident and did not recall all of the events. However, he did remember that after takeoff the engine slowly went to idle on its own during the flight. The next thing he remembered was waking up in the hospital.
The post-accident examination of the airplane found the engine and the empennage separated from the cabin and cockpit. Examination of the engine found the mixture control cable disconnected from the carburetor. The airplane was recovered to Atlanta Air Recovery where the engine was run. During the post-accident examination of the the airplane, the engine ran without any discrepancies after the mixture control cable was reconnected.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4GB
- Reported as
- Cessna 182K
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18258054
- Airframe hours
- 3,300
- Engine
- Continental O-470, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William H. Glenn
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 5, 2003 · 120 hours before
- Departed
- GA35 · Eden, GA
- Destination
- GA35
- Airport
- GA35 · Cypress Lakes, runway 13, 2,800 × 75 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- April 28, 2003
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 439 total · 122 in this make and model · 395 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.10 inHg
- Observed at
- SAV, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.