Cessna 182J accident near Putnam, Connecticut, March 7, 1993
On March 7, 1993 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N3035F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Putnam, Connecticut. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE AIR WORTHINESS DIRECTIVES, LEAKY FUEL CAP SEAL, WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL, AND WRINKLES IN THE FUEL TANK BLADDERS THAT INTERFERED WITH THE ABILITY TO DRAIN WATER FROM THE TANKS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1993 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Putnam, Connecticut
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N3035F · registry record · serial 18257135
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 FT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING, THE AIRPLANE CLIPPED SOME TREES, TOUCHED DOWN IN A FIELD, AND SLID UNTIL IT IMPACTED A ROW OF TREES. AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED ABOUT ONE QUART OF WATER IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANK FILLER NECKS REVEALED CORROSION. THE RIGHT TANK FUEL FILLER NECK ALSO HAD PITTING. WHEN TESTED, THE RIGHT FUEL CAP AND SEAL AREA ALLOWED LEAKAGE OF AN UNDETERMINABLE AMOUNT OF WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL TANK BLADDERS REVEALED WRINKLES. THE AIRPLANE'S MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT AD 84-10-01 AND AD 83-13-01, REGARDING INSPECTION OF THE FUEL FILLER NECK AND SEAL AREA AND THE FUEL TANKS, WERE NOT PERFORMED DURING THE LAST INSPECTION. THE AIRPLANE WAS KEPT OUTSIDE AND IT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. SNOW HAD FALLEN ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE PILOT SAID HE DID A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT, WHICH INCLUDED DRAINING THE FUEL TANKS AND CHECKING FOR CONTAMINATION, BUT NO CONTAMINATION WAS EVIDENT.
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
- Flight time: 4,727 hours in all; 1,761 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 4,655 as pilot in command; 2,167 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,637 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 19, 1992; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Para Power INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 01B at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 01B
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from BDL, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 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.
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.