Cessna TR182 accident near Milford, Utah, May 31, 2000
On May 31, 2000 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N738FN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milford, Utah (Milford Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the turbocharger scavenging pump resulting in the total failure of the engine, and the pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions that led him to over fly the runway during his forced landing. Factors were the pilot's diverted attention due to smoke in the cockpit, and the tailwind weather condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2000 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Milford, Utah · Milford Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N738FN · no longer on the register · serial R18200921
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that the engine began to run rough, and he could smell smoke in the cockpit. He said that the smoke got worse, and he shut off the master switch. He saw the airport, headed for it, and his engine power began to fail. He attempted to land on runway 16, with a 22 knot gusting to 26 knot tailwind, but was too high. The pilot said he turned right, to approximately 180 degrees, to miss some buildings. He landed approximately 1,000 feet from the departure end of the runway in scrub-covered terrain. The airplane impacted a berm, and nosed over. The airplane's vertical stabilizer, left wing, and fuselage were damaged. Postaccident examination of the engine by a mechanic revealed that the turbocharger's oil scavenger pump had failed. The mechanic said that the scavenger pump's failure would cause the engine's oil to pass overboard.
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: 236 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 87 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 173 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,550 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 31, 2000; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDC Cedar City UT at 10:00 pm
- Destination: PVU Provo UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 22 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from MLF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.