Cessna 182P accident near Louisa, Virginia, April 28, 1984
On April 28, 1984 at about 8:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N52790, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisa, Virginia (Louisa Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- April 28, 1984 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Louisa, Virginia · Louisa Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52790 · no longer on the register · serial 18262876
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE GRASS & RIDGES ON THE STRIP HELD THE ACFT'S SPEED DOWN MORE THAN EXPECTED DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, SO THE PLT DECIDED TO ABORT. THE PLT LATER STATED THAT HE COULD HAVE MADE IT SAFELY, BUT HIS 'INSTINCT' WAS STRONGER SO HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE ACFT ROLLED OFF THE END OF THE RWY INTO A BRIER PATCH. THE GRASS ON THE STRIP WAS ABOUT 4 INCHES HIGH & THERE WERE SMALL RIDGES DOWN THE CENTER OF THE STRIP.
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: 704 hours in all; 704 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,984 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1983; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R-25A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: W49 Culpeper VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from DCA, 55 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.
Other NTSB records under N52790 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.