Cessna 182F accident near Raeford, North Carolina, July 19, 1994
On July 19, 1994 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182F, registered N3513U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Raeford, North Carolina (Raeford Municipal 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
AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM, AND THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. A FACTOR WAS THE PRESENCE OF TREES AT THE FORCED LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1994 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- Raeford, North Carolina · Raeford Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3513U · registry record · serial 18254913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER FUELING THE AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT OBSERVED 'A LOT' OF WATER IN THE FUEL, WHEN CHECKING THE SUMPS. HE SHOOK THE WINGS, AND AGAIN OBSERVED WATER. HE ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO SIT FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEN HE CHECKED THE SUMPS AGAIN. HE DRAINED WATER UNTIL NO MORE WATER WAS OBSERVED. AT ABOUT 200 FEET AGL, DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE QUIT. HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRPLANE, AND IT COLLIDED WITH TREES. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED EVIDENCE OF WATER IN THE FUEL TANKS AND CARBURETOR BOWL. THE FUEL SUPPLY AT THE FBO WAS CHECKED, AND NO CONTAMINATION WAS FOUND.
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: 2,850 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 220 in the last 90 days; 76 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,355 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 1993
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 5NY5 Gardiner NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,402 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:46 pm from FAY, 16 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N3513U 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.