Cessna 182C accident near Crowley, Louisiana, December 18, 2010
On December 18, 2010 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182C, registered N8556T, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Crowley, Louisiana (Le Gros Memorial Airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the magneto failure for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 18, 2010 · about 8:30 pm local time · cases in 2010
- Place
- Crowley, Louisiana · Le Gros Memorial Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8556T · no longer on the register · serial 52456
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight departed to the east with four skydivers for a local jump. One witness stated that, immediately following the takeoff, about 200 feet above ground level, a "percussive" pop from the engine was heard. Two witnesses stated that the right wing dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground. The airplane was quickly engulfed in a postimpact fire. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed a piece of engine isolator gasket had become wrapped around the carburetor main fuel jet and both magnetos distribution gear had cracked and were missing teeth. The damaged distribution gear teeth were consistent with damage found after an engine experiences a backfire. It could not be determined which magneto failed first or if they both failed simultaneously. The cause of the backfire could not be determined. Further examination of the engine, airframe, and remaining systems revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during takeoff defining event
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Failure other cases naming the engine
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,736.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 4, 2010
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: K3R2 Crowley LA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: K3R2 Crowley LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 4,307 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KLFT, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on October 17, 2011. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passenger Statement - CEN11FA115 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Tcm Engine Operational Test Report | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Toxicological Report | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Photograph 01 - Main Wreckage - Front View (Provided by Cessna) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Photograph 02 - Main Wreckage - Left Side | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Photograph 03 - Main Wreckage - Rear View | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 9 | Photograph 04 - Main Wreckage - Right Side | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 10 | Photograph 05 - Main Wreckage - Cabin and Fuselage | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Photograph 06 - Propeller | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8556T: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 182 Skylane 11,834 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-L 19 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- LE Gros Memorial · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Louisiana 1,274 since 1982 · 189 in the last ten years
- Louisiana 3,735 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN11FA115.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.