Cessna 182-K accident near Birmingham, Alabama, December 3, 2003
On December 3, 2003 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 182-K, registered N3056Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birmingham, Alabama (Birmingham International airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the throttle/power lever cable becoming disconnected in-flight, as a result of maintenance personnel failure to comply with Airworthiness Directive (AD) 86-24-07 and Cessna information letter SE79-6.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 2003 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · Birmingham International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182-K · all 182-Ks on the register
- Registration
- N3056Q · registry record · serial 18258056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was uneventful until the approach to land at the destination airport. When the pilot reduced engine power for the approach, the engine lost power and the throttle would not respond. The pilot informed the control tower that he had a loss of power and proceeded to set up for an emergency landing. The airplane clipped a tree top and went through a power line before touching down on the ground. The airplane landed hard, the nose gear collapsed, and the left wing collided with a light pole. Examination of the airplane found the left and right wings had spar and wing skin damage. Examination of the engine found the throttle cable separated from the throttle body arm. The throttle cable attaching bolt was still attached to the throttle body arm, the nut was missing and the bolt was not drilled for a cotter key. Further review disclosed that Airworthiness Directive 86-24-07 and Cessna Information Letter SE79-6 had not been complied with when the engine assembly was recently installed during the annual inspection.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,008 hours in all; 1,297 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 1,891 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 8, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,264.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2003; 31.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO470-F31B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7M9 Salem AK at 11:00 pm
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 7,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from BHM, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.