Cessna 182M accident near Milledgeville, Georgia, July 7, 2006
On July 7, 2006 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N71471, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milledgeville, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper fabrication of the oil pressure gauge line by maintenance personnel, which resulted in a loss of engine oil and total loss of engine power during cruise flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 7, 2006 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Milledgeville, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N71471 · no longer on the register · serial 18259635
- 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 he was at an altitude of 6,500 feet on a short cross-country flight. As he approach his destination, and began to descend, he reported that the flight was normal. He leveled off at 3,500 feet, and suddenly noticed that the oil pressure gauge was reading zero. He crosschecked his instruments and everything seemed normal. He rechecked the cylinder head temperature and the oil temperature, and they were in the normal range. The engine was still running smoothly and he continued toward the airport. However, he began to look for possible landing sites, and made a turn to the east. He positioned the airplane closer to some fields that he saw in the distance. Approximately two minutes later he stated that there was an rpm surge, and realized that this was a "true oil loss." A minute later the engine stopped. He made an emergency landing in a field, and collided with logging debris. Examination of the engine by an FAA inspector and an A&P mechanic revealed that a flex oil gauge pressure line from the engine to the firewall had separated. Examination of the oil line revealed that the hose was installed approximately 3/4 of the length of the fitting, leaving only three threads to hold the ferrule and "B" nut together. The "B" nut socket showed no evidence of wear. The oil gauge pressure line was replaced on July 20, 2001, at an engine tachometer time of 5694.15, and a Hobbs time of 1067.9. The oil gauge pressure line had an approximate time of 63.05 service hours before it failed.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,895 hours in all; 26 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,757.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jb Av Enterprises Incorported
The flight
- Departed from: SC47 Parker Field SC at 2:45 pm
- Destination: MLJ Milledgeville GA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 3:40 pm from KMLJ, 5 miles away
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.