Cessna 182M accident near Dalton, Georgia, January 15, 1984
On January 15, 1984 at about 6:38 pm local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N91625, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dalton, Georgia (Dalton Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 15, 1984 · about 6:38 pm local time
- Place
- Dalton, Georgia · Dalton Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N91625 · no longer on the register · serial 18259849
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING APRX 1 HR PRIOR TO FLT DURING WHICH '...A CHANCE OF LIGHT ICING' WAS FORECAST. APRX 30 MINS AFTER TAKEOFF AT 6000 FT MSL LIGHT RAIN WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PLT STATED THAT A SMALL AMOUNT OF ICE BEGAN TO FORM ON THE STRUT AND HE REQUESTED A CLIMB TO 8000 FT MSL. N91625 WAS THEN CLEARED TO CLIMB ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYER, HOWEVER, HEAVY ICING BEGAN TO ACCUMULATE AND THE ACFT COULD NOT CLIMB ABOVE 7300 FT MSL. A 300 TO 400 FPM DESCENT DEVELOPED AND THE ACFT WAS CLEARED TO DALTON, GA, VIA RADAR VECTORS. THE PLT REPORTED, 'SUDDENLY, AT A HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY FIFTY FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO VEER AS THOUGH LEFT RUDDER HAD BEEN APPLIED, ALTHOUGH THE RUDDER PEDAL HAD NOT BEEN MOVED.' THE ACFT THEN HEAVILY CONTACTED THE GROUND COLLAPSING THE NOSE GEAR. A WITNESS STATED APRX 3/4 INCH OF ICE WAS PRESENT ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WINGS, 1/2 INCH ON THE FUSELAGE AND APRX 1 INCH ON THE BELLY. IT WAS ALSO DETERMINED THE ACFT WAS LOADED APRX 200 LBS OVER GROSS WEIGHT.
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: 2,015 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,950 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1983; 159 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Atlanta GA at 5:48 pm
- Destination: MDW Chicago IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 3,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:36 pm from DNN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.