Cessna 182Q accident near Pickens, South Carolina, March 18, 1989
On March 18, 1989 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N757MY, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pickens, South Carolina (Pickens County airport). It was an instructional 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
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT AND INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE FLIGHT BY THE OTHER CREW MEMBER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 18, 1989 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pickens, South Carolina · Pickens County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N757MY · registry record · serial 18266224
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CIVIL AIR PATROL AIRPLANE LANDED HARD WHILE THE TWO QUALIFIED PILOTS WERE PRACTICING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT, WHO WAS OPERATING THE CONTROLS, WAS CONSIDERED THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) ON THIS FLIGHT, ALTHOUGH THE OTHER PILOT WAS AN INSTRUCTOR (CFI). SHORTLY AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE CFI REDUCED POWER TO SIMULATE A POWER LOSS. THE PIC LANDED ON THE REMAINING RWY, BUT THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN HARD, WHICH RESULTED IN DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 711 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 650 as pilot in command; 25 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,036 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1988; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GMU Greenville SC at 11:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.