Cessna 182T accident near Seymour, Indiana, September 9, 2025
On September 9, 2025 at about 2:45 pm local time, a 2005 Cessna 182T, registered N357CP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Seymour, Indiana (Freeman Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor’s improper landing flare which resulted in a bounced landing and loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 2025 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Seymour, Indiana · Freeman Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182T, built 2005 · all 182Ts on the register
- Registration
- N357CP · registry record · serial 18281509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that the instructional flight was the first flight on the second day of a five-day training program for the student pilot. The planned lesson for the flight included straight-and-level flight, turns, climbs, descents, and ground reference maneuvers. After completion of the maneuvers, the student pilot flew the traffic pattern for landing at the destination airport, and the flight controls were transferred to the flight instructor while the airplane was established on the final approach segment at 500 ft above ground level. Upon touchdown on the runway, the airplane bounced and turned sharply to the left. The flight instructor stated he attempted a go-around but was unable to increase airplane airspeed and regain airplane directional control. The flight instructor stated there was no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal airplane 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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,585 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 5,360 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 9, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,061 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 5, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: BAK Columbus IN at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 am from BAK, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident Site
Photograph 2 – Right Wing Damage
Photograph 3 – Right Fuselage Damage
Photograph 4 – Left Wing DamageThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 17, 2025. 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 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.