Cessna 182K accident near Eden, Georgia, March 18, 2004
On March 18, 2004 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182K, registered N4GB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eden, Georgia (Cypress Lakes airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power due to improper installation by maintenance personnel which resulted in the mixture control cable becoming disconnected in-flight. Contributing to the severity of the accident was the in-flight collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 2004 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eden, Georgia · Cypress Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182K · all 182Ks on the register
- Registration
- N4GB · registry record · serial 18258054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was conducting a test flight following the installation of an overhauled engine. He said that during the installation he drained all fuel from the airplane and added about 38 gallons of 100LL fuel. After ground runs of approximately 20-minutes with no problems noted he re-started the engine, did a standard run-up and taxied to the runway and took off at 1429. Shortly after takeoff, the engine lost power and the pilot attempted to return to the airport. As the pilot maneuvered for the forced landing, the airplane collided with the tops of trees, the runway, and flipped inverted. Examination of the engine found the mixture control cable disconnected from the carburetor. During the post-accident examination of the the airplane, the engine ran without any discrepancies after the mixture control cable was reconnected.
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
- Flight time: 439 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 28, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 5, 2003; 120 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA35 Eden GA
- Destination: GA35
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 2,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from SAV, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N4GB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL04LA086.