- Date
- February 3, 1983, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Weyers Cave, VA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N3440RCessna 182L
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830203002299A
- Case key
- 5888
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
The acft crashed after takeoff when the engine lost power. The acft had not been flown for several months. An instructorwas invited on the extended cross-country to help the pilot who also had not flown for some time. During the pre-flight a considerable amount of water was drained from the left fuel tank. The mechanic who had just recently completed an annual inspection on the acft was called over to help drain the water. The mechanic drained 15 gallons of fuel before the fuel was free of water. The left tank cap also was found to need a new seal and was taped until they could get a seal. The acft had to be jump-started. After starting they decided to use all 6000 ft of runway 22 for takeoff. During takeoff the engine began to cut out when it reached an altitude of 100-200 feet in the air, regained power momentarily and stopped. The acft turned left, landed on a sloping field and careened down into a creek bed. The acft came to rest on its side half submerged. Two occupants were ejected. One of the two drowned in the creek.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3440R
- Reported as
- Cessna 182L
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18258740
- Airframe hours
- 2,770
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Augusta Farm Land Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 19, 1983 · 1 hours before
- Destination
- ROA · Roanoke, VA
- Airport
- SHD · Shenandoah Valley, runway 22, 6,000 × 150 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
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,200 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N3440R · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.