Cessna 182J accident near Calera, Alabama, April 8, 1995
On April 8, 1995 at about 4:54 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N47DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Calera, Alabama (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots improper decision to land downwind on the short runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1995 · about 4:54 pm local time
- Place
- Calera, Alabama · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N47DB · registry record · serial 18257548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE RUNWAY, THE WIND DIRECTION CHANGED FROM A CROSSWIND TO A TAILWIND. HE CONTINUED THE LANDING, AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LAST TWO THIRDS OF THE 1,300 FOOT SOD STRIP. HE STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT RAN OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, COLLIDED WITH A DITCH, AND NOSED OVER.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 3,900 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 21A Alabaster AL at 4:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 1,300 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from BHN, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N47DB 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.