Cessna TR 182 accident near Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, July 25, 1983
On July 25, 1983, a Cessna TR 182, registered N737JA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Seneca Rocks, West Virginia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 25, 1983
- Place
- Seneca Rocks, West Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR 182 · all TR 182s on the register
- Registration
- N737JA · registry record · serial 18200834
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND FOLLOWING A REPORTED LOSS OF POWER. THE ACFT HAD COMPLETED A DESCENT OF 2000-3000 FT TO OBSERVE ROCK FORMATIONS AND HAD COMMENCED A CLIMB WHEN POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PLT SAID THE MIXTURE WASLEFT IN LEAN POSITION AND CARBURETOR HEAT WAS NOT APPLIED DURING THE DESCENT. WHEN THE POWER WAS ADVANCED TO 25 INCHES MP THE POWER DECREASED TO 22 INCHES AFTER ABOUT 45 SECONDS WITHOUT PLT ACTION. COMPLETE POWER WAS NEVER LOST BUT THE RISING TERRAIN TRAPPED THE ACFT. THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY IN A POST ACCIDENT CHECK. AT THE TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT COMBINATION OF 71/58 DEG F THE PROBABILITY OF SERIOUS ICING AT GLIDE POWER EXISTED.
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: 40 in the last 90 days; 320 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 678 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 5, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKN Elkins WV
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 ATL83FA290.