# NTSB ERA26LA197: Cessna 182, N9069X, Lancaster, OH, May 4, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report - Date: May 3, 2026, 22:41 local (May 4, 2026, 02:41 UTC) - Place: Lancaster, OH - Coordinates: 39.702737, -82.543539 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7027&lon=-82.5435&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: Textron Aviation, FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 202927 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA26LA197 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202927/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA197 ## Preliminary report On May 3, 2026, about 2241 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182D, N9069X, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lancaster, Ohio. The pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that he planned four flights the day of the accident for the purpose of building flight time. The first flight originated at Fairfield County Airport (LHQ), Lancaster, Ohio with a destination of Warren County Airport (I68), Lebanon, Ohio. The pilot completely fueled the inboard wing fuel tanks at I68, with the addition of 39 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline. He then departed I68 and returned to LHQ. From LHQ, the pilot flew to Eastern WV Regional Airport (MRB), Martinsburg, West Virginia. The accident flight, which was the fourth and final flight for the day, departed MRB destined for LHQ. About 6 miles east of the LHQ airport, about 3,000 ft mean sea level, the pilot reported a partial loss of engine power, which he described as the engine “sputtering.” The pilot attempted to make an emergency landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane struck trees and impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. A witness on the ground, near the accident site heard the airplane, and described the engine noise as a “sputtering engine at low RPM.” The airframe and engine were retained for further examination. Additionally, a JPI Fuel Scan 450 was recovered from the wreckage and forwarded to the NTSB Vehicle Recorders Laboratory, Washington, DC for download. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute-cruise: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md) - [Emergency descent: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Cessna 182D, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=2072710), [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 182D, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=2072710), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9069X](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N9069X), registered now, S/N 18253469, built 1961 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182 (D) - Registry model: [Cessna 182D](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182d) (registry code 2072710) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18253469 - Year built: 1961 - Airframe hours: 4397.5 - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 14, 2026, 6 hours before - Departed: MRB, Martinsburg, WV - Destination: LHQ, Lancaster, OH - Flight plan: VFR - Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 210° at 4 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,000 ft broken - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: LHQ, 6 nm away - METAR: METAR KLHQ 040153Z AUTO 21004KT 10SM BKN070 OVC090 09/05 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP148 T00940050 $= ## 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 20260503010499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260503010499A), May 3, 2026: Cessna 182D, Lancaster, OH, Substantial damage. Aircraft crashed under unknown circumstances into two trees in the backyard of a residence just northwest of the intersection of Lancaster-thornville rd NE &… 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.