Cessna 182Q accident near Baltimore, Maryland, November 26, 1983
On November 26, 1983 at about 3:39 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N7473S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland (Baltimore/Washington airport). 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 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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1983 · about 3:39 pm local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · Baltimore/Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N7473S · no longer on the register · serial 18265197
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THIS ACFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FORABOUT ONE MONTH. THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF WATER ACCUMULATION IN C-182 BLADDER EQUIPPED ACFT, SO HE DRAINED THE GASCOLATOR FOR AN ADDED LENGTH OF TIME. THE WING TANKS WERE ALSO DRAINED. START, TAXI AND RUN-UP WERE NORMAL. AFTER DEPARTURE A CLIMBING TURN WAS MADE. AT 1500 FT THE PILOT FELT THE ACFT LOSE POWER. HE PUMPED THE THROTTLE TO NO AVAIL. HE CALLED THETOWER AND STARTED THAT 'HE HAD A PROBLEM AND WAS COMING IN.' HE WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RWY 33R. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND SAID HE WAS GOING FOR ANY RWY HE COULD REACH. THIS TRANSMISSION WAS BLOCKED BY THE TOWER CALLING AT THE SAME TIME. THE PILOT BLOCKED FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS BY KEYING HIS MIKE INADVERTANTLY. AS HE MANEUVERED FOR RWY 04 HE SAW A POTENTIAL CONFLICT WITH A B-737 APPROACHING RWY 28 SO HE DIVERTED TO RWY 15R. WHEN HE COULD NOT MAKE THAT HE TURNED RIGHT AND MUSHED INTO THE GROUND TO THE LEFT OF 33L. THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AT GROUND CONTACT.
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: 235 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 439 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 31, 1983; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: N80 Ocean City MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:39 pm from BWI
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.