- Date
- September 15, 2018, 12:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Mount Holly, NJ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7304TCessna R182
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 18, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180915015719A
- Case key
- 98302
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
The pilot’s failure to maintain lateral control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent runway excursion.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during landing, while over the runway, he believed the "right wing lifted a bit," and the airplane drifted left. The airplane touched down, veered left, and he applied right rudder. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 5 knots. The pilot landed on runway 8.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing, while over the runway, he believed the "right wing lifted a bit" and the airplane drifted left. The airplane touched down, veered left, and he applied right rudder. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and impacted trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation system at the accident airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was variable at 5 knots. The pilot landed on runway 8.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7304T
- Reported as
- Cessna R182 (No Series)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- R18200027
- Built
- 1977
- Airframe hours
- 4,818
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540-J3C5D, 235 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 16, 2018
- Departed
- CDW · Caldwell, NJ
- Destination
- VAY · Mount Holly, NJ
- Airport
- VAY · South Jersey Rgnl, runway 08, 3,881 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Stall warning system, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Onboard weather
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
- 83
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 10, 2016
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,385 total · 2,500 in this make and model · 3,385 as pilot in command · 23 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KVAY
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 12, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.1 MB in all.
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 N7304T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.