Cessna 182Q accident near Hebbronville, Texas, April 9, 2022
On April 9, 2022 at about 4:30 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 182Q, registered N978C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Hebbronville, Texas (Stark Ranch airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots improper landing flare which resulted in a hard landing and loss of airplane control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2022 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hebbronville, Texas · Stark Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q, built 1979 · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N978C · registry record · serial 18267017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he flared too high resulting in a hard landing. The airplane bounced, drifted to the right, and went through a fence colliding with some trees. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the leading edge of the right wing as well as the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 339 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 2.6 in the last 90 days; 1.3 in the last 30 days; 166 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 26, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,096.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 3, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors IO-550-D (piston); 96 hours total
- Operator: La Avioneta LLC
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Hebronville TX at 3:15 pm
- Destination: PVT Hebronville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway --, 2,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 am from KHBV, 4 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KHBV 091635Z AUTO 18013G18KT 7SM CLR 26/10 A3013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 CEN22LA175.