Cessna R182 accident near Edgartown, Massachusetts, September 19, 1992
On September 19, 1992, a Cessna R182, registered N102SR, was destroyed in an accident near Edgartown, Massachusetts (Marthas Vineyard airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS'S LACK OF REGARD FOR THE PUBLISHED DECISION HEIGHT OF THE APPROACH AND HIS DECISION NOT TO EXECUTE A MISSED APPROACH. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT INCLUDE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH AND DESCENT RATE DURING THE APPROACH, THE PILOT'S POOR IN FLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE THE APPROACH, WEATHER CONDITIONS WHICH WERE BELOW APPROACH MINIMUMS, DARK NIGHT LIGHTING CONDITIONS, AND SELF INDUCED PRESSURE BY THE PILOT TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1992
- Place
- Edgartown, Massachusetts · Marthas Vineyard
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N102SR · registry record · serial R18200731
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM APPROACH BY THE CONTROL TOWER. THE REPORTED WEATHER CONDITIONS INCLUDED A INDEFINITE CEILING OF 100 FEET AND ONE HALF MILE VISIBILITY WITH FOG. DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRSPEED, GLIDEPATH, RATE OF DESCENT, AND POSITION RELATIVE TO THE GLIDESLOPE AND LOCALIZER WERE NOT STABILIZED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TERRAIN ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PUBLISHED DECISION HEIGHT FOR THE APPROACH IS 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO AN INSPECTOR WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS AERONAUTICS COMMISSION, THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS PAID TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS TO FLY THE TWO PASSENGERS, AND HE HAD BEEN PAID TO FLY THE SAME ROUTE AT LEAST TEN TIMES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 6, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HVN New Haven CT
- Destination: MVY MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 24
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 am from MVY, 1 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO92FA151.