Cessna R182 accident near Cedar City, Utah, September 24, 2003
On September 24, 2003 at about 7:44 pm local time, a Cessna R182, registered N6078C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedar City, Utah (Cedar City Municipal Airport). It was a personal 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the nose wheel separating from the airplane during the precautionary landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the missing nose gear axle through-bolt and the missing cotter pin.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2003 · about 7:44 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar City, Utah · Cedar City Municipal Airport · map
- 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
- N6078C · registry record · serial R18200370
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off and attempted to raise the landing gear. He did not hear the gear motor operate. He noted that the main landing gear were still down, and the nose gear was partially retracted. The pilot reported that he recycled the gear several times eventually leaving it down. The pilot said he had cockpit indications that the gear was safe; however, the pilot asked a crash crew at the airport to look at the gear as he flew over. The pilot reported that the crash crew informed him that all three gear were down. The pilot came in for landing. On touching the nose wheel to the runway, the nose wheel came off. The nose gear strut dug into the runway asphalt and subsequently collapsed. An examination of the airplane's nose gear showed the nose gear axle through bolt had a vacant pinhole for a cotter key at the end of the bolt threads. The end nut for the bolt was missing and not found at the accident site. An examination of the engine, engine controls and other airplane systems showed no anomalies.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 174 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 10, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,028 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 11, 2003; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C50 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDC Cedar City UT at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 8,652 ft by 160 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from CDC, 1 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.