Cessna R182 accident near Brainerd, Minnesota, November 5, 2025
On November 5, 2025 at about 8:30 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna R182, registered N9054C, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Brainerd, Minnesota (Brainerd Lakes Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to extended to landing gear before landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 2025 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brainerd, Minnesota · Brainerd Lakes Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182, built 1978 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N9054C · registry record · serial R18200381
- 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 was completing a local flight and was practicing an instrument approach. During the approach he observed several birds in his intended flight path, which distracted him multiple times, and he forgot to extend the landing gear. Due to the distraction, he also did not notice the landing gear warning horn. The airplane landed with the gear retracted and came to rest upright on the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies 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
- Landing gear not configured during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Not used/operated
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,873 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6.9 in the last 30 days; 8,264 as pilot in command; 2,310 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 30, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,363.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 14, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 2,829 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBRD Brainerd MN at 8:00 pm
- Destination: KBRD Brainerd MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16/3, 7,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KBRD
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBRD 051953Z AUTO 32010KT 10SM CLR 10/M03 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP222 T01001033 $=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The 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 January 9, 2026. 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, 3 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.