Cessna 182Q accident near Hickory, North Carolina, November 15, 1998
On November 15, 1998 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N759LH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hickory, North Carolina (Hickory airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 properly recover from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 15, 1998 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- Hickory, North Carolina · Hickory · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N759LH · registry record · serial 182-66075
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was cleared by the tower to land on runway 24. The pilot reported that, 'While on approach, at the end of the runway, a downdraft was experienced.' The airplane touchdown first approximately 100 feet down the runway, became airborne, and then came down on the nose gear. After getting the aircraft under control, the pilot taxied back to the ramp and observed the damage.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 178 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,955 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1998; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U17 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HKY at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 6,400 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:59 pm from HKY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N759LH 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.