Cessna 182 accident near Pinson, Alabama, October 13, 1991
On October 13, 1991 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N9342X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pinson, Alabama (Gilmer Industrial airport). It was an other work-use 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO VISUALLY DETECT AND ATTAIN PROPER ALIGNMENT WITH THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1991 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Pinson, Alabama · Gilmer Industrial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N9342X · no longer on the register · serial 18253742
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AUTOMOBILES HAD PARKED NEAR THE RUNWAY WITH THEIR HEADLIGHTS ON AND HAD DISTORTED HIS VISION OF THE RUNWAY. HE SAID THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT LANDING LIGHT CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD TRIPPED SEVERAL TIMES, AND HE HAD BECOME DISTRACTED WHILE TRYING TO KEEP THE LANDING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. AFTER TOUCHDOWN, HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD LANDED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE TERRAIN ON THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY WAS UNEVEN, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE TRAVELING OVER THE ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: 735 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,873 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 13, 1991; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,500 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:30 pm from BHM, 42 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.
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.