Cessna 182A accident near Elberta, Alabama, July 28, 1988
On July 28, 1988 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4090D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elberta, Alabama (Horak Field). 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).
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
- July 28, 1988 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Elberta, Alabama · Horak Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4090D · no longer on the register · serial 34790
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON A X-COUNTRY FLT FROM ELBERTA, AL, TO DESTIN, FL & RETURN. THE FLT INCLUDED 4 EN ROUTE STOPS TO PICK UP & DROP OFF PAX. DURING AN EN ROUTE STOP, THE PLT CHECKED THE FUEL BY USING A HOME MADE DIP STICK & HE THOUGHT THERE WAS SUFFICIENT FUEL TO REACH THE FINAL DESTN. HOWEVER, HE DIDN'T KNOW THE GALLON EQUIVALENT PER INCH OF FUEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ENG LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION BEFORE THE PLT REACHED THE DESTN ARPT. HE SELECTED THE MOST SUITABLE AREA FOR AN EMERGENCY LANDING, BUT THE NOSE GEAR DUG INTO SOFT/WET TERRAIN & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,590 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,321 as pilot in command; 225 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81J Destin FL at 10:37 pm
- Destination: 58J Elberta AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:33 pm from PNS, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N4090D 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.