Cessna 182H accident near Birmingham, Alabama, July 8, 2006
On July 8, 2006 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182H, registered N3479S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birmingham, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during final approach resulting in a stall/mush and a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2006 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · all 182Hs on the register
- Registration
- N3479S · registry record · serial 18255879
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that, "although my approach speed was 70 knots and the stall horn never went off, the aircraft sank rapidly once I was over the pavement. I added power to arrest the descent but the aircraft bounced on the landing from approximately 10 feet. I arrested the descent with power and made a normal landing, however, the aircraft began to porpoise violently, and I was unable to stop it." The pilot further stated that as a safety recommendation, she should have "initiated a go-around after the first bounce." There were no mechanical problems reported by the pilot.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,344 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 596 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,486 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2006; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R56B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JFX Jasper AL at 7:00 pm
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from BHM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.