Cessna 182D accident near Donalsonville, Georgia, January 22, 1994
On January 22, 1994 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182D, registered N8980X, was destroyed in an accident near Donalsonville, Georgia (Donaldsonville Municipal 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO CLEAR THE INDUCTION SYSTEMS OF EXCESSIVE FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 22, 1994 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Donalsonville, Georgia · Donaldsonville Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182D · all 182Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8980X · no longer on the register · serial 18253380
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS STARTING THE ENGINE PRIOR TO FLIGHT. AFTER HAVING SOME DIFFICULTY STARTING THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED, THEN SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE SEEN COMING FROM THE INDUCTION SYSTEM. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE FIRE CONTINUED TO SPREAD, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,622 hours in all; 800 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: ABY Albany GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:48 pm from ABY, 47 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.