Cessna 182Q accident near Cumming, Georgia, October 22, 1989
On October 22, 1989 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N96804, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cumming, Georgia (Mathis airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LACK OF FLUID IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM AND AN INADEQUATE ANNUAL INSPECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 1989 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cumming, Georgia · Mathis
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N96804 · registry record · serial 18266857
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF MAINTENANCE & AN ANNUAL INSPECTION, THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRPLANE FROM THE MAINTENANCE AIRFIELD. HE SAID THAT THE ENGINE WAS ACCELERATED TO FULL POWER ON THE RWY WHILE THE BRAKES WERE HELD. AN EN ROUTE STOP WAS MADE TO DISCHARGE PASSENGERS. DURING LANDING, THE BRAKE PRESSURE DECREASED TO NEARLY ZERO. THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE RWY END & NOSED OVER. LATER EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED A LACK OF FLUID IN THE BRAKE SYSTEM.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,483 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1989; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Rome GA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 84A Cumming GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 1,550 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.