Cessna R182 accident near Bismarck, North Dakota, July 20, 1998
On July 20, 1998 at about 9:42 pm local time, a Cessna R182, registered N9142C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bismarck, North Dakota (Bismarck Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 fatigue failure of the fuel system line fitting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 1998 · about 9:42 pm local time
- Place
- Bismarck, North Dakota · Bismarck Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N9142C · registry record · serial 00417
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A fractured electric fuel pump to carburetor T-connector, Part Number AN917-20, fitting was found during inspection of the engine compartment by a Federal Aviation Administration Inspector. Metallurgical analysis of the separated fitting by the National Transportation Safety Board's Material Laboratory revealed clamshell shaped crack arrest marks and step-like features to be present. Closer examination of the step-like features revealed a large number of markings similar to river patterns, which converged at numerous locations on the outside diameter (at the root of the thread) of the fitting. No mechanical damage was noted at any of the crack origin locations. The last airplane inspection was a 100-hour inspection performed in March of 1998.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 10,250 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,134 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 82 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: BIS at 8:12 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 8,974 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 17 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from BIS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 CHI98LA266.