Cessna 182R accident near Evington, Virginia, September 9, 1990
On September 9, 1990 at about 2:18 am local time, a Cessna 182R, registered N4944H, was destroyed in an accident near Evington, Virginia. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT BECAUSE OF SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. A CONTRIBUTING CAUSE IS FAILURE OF THE VACUUM SYSTEM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1990 · about 2:18 am local time
- Place
- Evington, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N4944H · no longer on the register · serial 18267855
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS EN ROUTE IFR AT 6000 FT MSL WHEN THE PLT ASKED ATC FOR THE CLOUD BASE HEIGHT AND THEN SHORTLY AFTERWARDS HE REPORTED MALFUNCTION OF THE ATTITUDE INDICATOR. THE PLT ALSO STATED 'ALL VACUUM PUMPS ARE LOST.' THE PLT LATER INDICATED HE WAS UNAWARE OF HIS ATTITUDE. WITHNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT DESCENDED IN A NOSE DOWN AND STEEP BANK ATTITUDE BEFORE IT CRASHED. WITNESSES REPORTED FOG AND RAIN AT THE CRASH. THE ACFT DISINTEGRATED ON IMPACT AND WAS SCATTERED ABOUT 105 FT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT FLIGHTPATH AT IMPACT WAS 45 DEGREES DOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE VACUUM PUMP DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 200 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1990; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Shelby Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: CHO Charlottesville VA
- Destination: SPA Spartanburg VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from LYH, 8 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.