Cessna 182RG accident near Zanesville, Ohio, September 18, 1988
On September 18, 1988 at about 10:15 am local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N9877C, was destroyed in an accident near Zanesville, Ohio. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGEMENT/DECISION-MAKING, AND HIS OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS OWN ABILITY WHICH LED TO HIS REPEATED DECISIONS TO OPERATE HIS AIRCRAFT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE FACT THAT THE PILOT HAD OPERATED THE AIRCRAFT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WITHOUT INCIDENT ON NUMEROUS PREVIOUS OCCASIONS CONTRIBUTED TO HIS OVER CONFIDENCE/ EXPECTANCY ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1988 · about 10:15 am local time
- Place
- Zanesville, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9877C · registry record · serial R18200478
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE VFR PILOT AND HIS STUDENT PILOT RATED RIGHT SEAT PASSENGER DEPARTED THE AIRPORT WHILE IT WAS STILL DARK, IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH EXTREMELY RESTRICTED VISIBILITIES DUE TO DENSE FOG (WITNESSES ESTIMATED AS LITTLE AS 15 FEET VISIBILITY IN AREAS). ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES AND IMPACTED AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN NORTHEAST OF THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. A LOCAL RESIDENT REPORTED HEARING THE SOUND OF AN ENGINE, LOUD AND RUNNING STEADY, COMING TOWARD HIS HOUSE. HE HEARD A THUD AND THE ENGINE NOISE QUIT. HE STATED THAT IT SOUNDED SO CLOSE THAT HE THOUGHT IT WAS THE NEWSPAPER DELIVERY TRUCK ON THE ROAD. THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE AND IT'S OCCUPANTS WERE DISCOVERED ABOUT 4 HOURS LATER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT AIRFRAME/ENGINE/SYSTEM MALFUNCTION/FAILURE. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE PILOT FREQUENTLY OPERATED IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,617 hours in all; 8 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,379 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1988; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 42T Zanesville OH at 10:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 am from ZZV, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.