Cessna 182Q accident near Asheville, North Carolina, May 4, 2007
On May 4, 2007 at about 2:58 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N735DP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Asheville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the directional gyro and attitude indicator due to a vacuum system leak caused by a loose fitting. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to execute a partial panel, no-gyro approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 2007 · about 2:58 pm local time
- Place
- Asheville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N735DP · registry record · serial 1826534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While executing an approach in mountainous terrain, the instrument-rated private pilot requested help due to a malfunctioning directional gyro. The controller initiated giving the pilot vectors for a no-gyro approach to the airport, which included a climb. Shortly thereafter, the pilot advised the controller that the attitude indicator had failed. The controller continued to provide guidance to the pilot until radar contact was lost less than 2 minutes later. The airplane impacted a mountain about 2,300 feet below the last assigned altitude. Evidence at the scene indicated that the airplane had entered an uncontrolled descent prior to impact. Examination of the vacuum system revealed that the vacuum inlet line "B-Nut" fitting to the attitude indicator was loose and that contamination had entered the instrument. This indicated there was a leak in the vacuum system, and insufficient vacuum for the associated instruments.
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
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,762 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 8, 2006
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DBN Dublin GA at 1:25 pm
- Destination: AVL Asheville NC
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:01 am from AVL
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.