Cessna TR182 accident near San Antonio, Texas, February 8, 2008
On February 8, 2008 at about 2:27 am local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N2225T, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near San Antonio, Texas (San Antonio International 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
Separation of the turbocharger exhaust stack, which resulted in a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 2008 · about 2:27 am local time
- Place
- San Antonio, Texas · San Antonio International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N2225T · registry record · serial R1820001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and his student had just departed and climbed to an altitude of 1,700 feet mean sea level (msl), when they began to smell a burning odor in the cockpit followed by a rough running engine and a sudden loss of power. The flight instructor made several attempts to re-start the engine before he executed a gear-up, forced landing to a strawberry field at night. Upon touch down, the airplane's left wing contacted the ground resulting in substantial damage to the spar. A witness, who observed the airplane while airborne, said that he saw flames coming from the engine compartment. Examination of the engine cowling revealed there was a localized area of paint discoloration and blistering in the area where the turbo charger was located. Further examination of the engine revealed that the turbocharger exhaust stack had separated at an area where it had been welded. A review of the engine logbooks revealed there was no entry made regarding a weld in this area, so it could not be determined who or when the weld was made.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Turbocharging (recip only) › Turbocharger › Failure
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,250 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 62 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,308.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSF Stinson TX at 11:15 pm
- Destination: SAT San Antonio TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from SAT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N2225T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 DFW08LA065.