# NTSB ERA25LA199: Cessna 182A, N174A, Ocala, FL, May 8, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 7, 2025, 21:16 local (May 8, 2025, 01:16 UTC) - Place: Ocala, FL - Coordinates: 29.166761, -82.227945 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1668&lon=-82.2279&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Prior to flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/100) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Prior to flight: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report November 6, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200132 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA25LA199 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200132/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200132 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA199 ## Probable cause The pilot’s decision to depart on the flight with known electrical issues and his subsequent loss of situational awareness (geographic position), which resulted in his eventual decision to perform an off-airport landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Perception/orientation/illusion: geographic disorient (lost)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 27 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/cases.md) - [Knowledge: knowledge of geographic area](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032030): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032030/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 24 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02032030/cases.md) - [Perception/orientation/illusion: situational awareness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md) - [Info processing/decision: decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 3,098 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Prior to flight: Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 182 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Navigation error](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 21 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/280/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Cessna 182A, 34 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072704), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that he departed from his home during the afternoon and flew to another airport where he refueled the airplane. While there he encountered problems operating his airplane’s avionics and lights. He then asked another pilot if he could follow him back in the direction of his home airport. After departing, he lost sight of the other airplane and could not contact the other pilot using his radio. As night fell and it became dark, he was unable to determine his location stating he “lost [his] way.” He felt that he was low on fuel and needed to land. He saw a road and decided to perform a precautionary landing. The pilot was unable to recall the events that transpired after that point, but during the landing the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N174A](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N174A), registered now, S/N 34535, built 1957 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182A - Registry model: [Cessna 182A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (registry code 2072704) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 34535 - Year built: 1957 - Airframe hours: 3926.2 - Engines: Teledyne Continental Motors O-470 260 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 17, 2023, 10 hours before - Departed: 28J, Palatka, FL - Destination: X04, Apopka, FL - Airport: OCF, Ocala Intl-Jim Taylor Fld - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 74; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 1, 2019; seat: left; restraint: lap only; toxicology performed; flight hours: 962 total, 962 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 290° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: OCF - METAR: KOCF 080051Z AUTO 29006KT 10SM CLR 27/21 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP172 T02670211 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250507004749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250507004749A), May 7, 2025: Cessna 182A, Ocala, FL, Substantial damage. The owner/operator departed home airport (X04) and became disoriented and unable to navigate back to X04. He eventually found palatka municipal airport (28J)… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 6, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200132. 50.0 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 17.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18916005&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1%20Received_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector's statement (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 579 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18908664&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Maintenance logbook excerpts (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 5.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18908231&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MX%20Log%20Excerpts_Redacted-Rel.pdf - ADS-B flight track (kmz format) (item 4, KMZ, 394 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18908674&FileExtension=kmz&FileName=N174A%2020250507_A12809_587059452_ADSB-Rel.kmz - ADS-B flight track data (xlsx format) (item 5, XLSX, 23.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18908241&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=N174A%20ADS-B-Rel.xlsx - Investigation photographs (item 6, PDF, 4 pages, 2.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18908584&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20ERA25LA199-Rel.pdf 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.