Cessna 182L accident near Aurora, Illinois, June 27, 1993
On June 27, 1993 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182L, registered N3119R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Illinois (Aurora 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE DISCONNECTED NOSE GEAR UPPER TORQUE LINK (LANDING GEAR STEERING). DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NOT POSSIBLE WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1993 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Illinois · Aurora
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182L · all 182Ls on the register
- Registration
- N3119R · registry record · serial 182-58519
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE LANDING WAS NORMAL UNTIL THE NOSE GEAR TOUCHED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED IN THE GRASS. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE NOSE GEAR UPPER TORQUE LINK BOLT WAS MISSING. SEARCHES AT THE DEPARTURE AND DESTINATION AIRPORTS FAILED TO LOCATE THE MISSING BOLT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF OTHER DEFECT. THE MOST RECENT ANNUAL INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED JULY 23, 1992. THE MOST RECENT AIRPLANE MAINTENANCE WAS NOSEWHEEL STRUT SERVICING, AND OCCURRED MAY 10, 1993. THE MECHANIC STATED HE DID NOT RECALL REMOVING THE UPPER TORQUE LINK BOLT AT THAT TIME.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 65 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,258 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 23, 1992; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Forest Agency, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: C59 Lake Lawn WI at 7:30 pm
- Destination: ARR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:40 pm from ARR, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.