Cessna 182F accident near Auburn, Alabama, February 27, 2011
On February 27, 2011 at about 7:06 pm local time, a Cessna 182F, registered N3420U, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Auburn, Alabama. 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
A loss of engine power due to an internal failure of the muffler that was not detected by maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2011 · about 7:06 pm local time
- Place
- Auburn, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3420U · no longer on the register · serial 18254820
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was approximately 2,700 feet above ground level when the engine stopped producing full power and the airplane began to lose altitude. The pilot elected to land on a road and the airplane subsequently impacted an automobile. No preimpact mechanical anomalies of the engine were noted; however, examination of the muffler assembly revealed that the right internal baffle cone had separated from the surrounding structure. It was possible for the separated baffle cone to partially block the exhaust exit; however, its position as found would not have resulted in a loss of engine power. The airplane had been operated for about 2 hours since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 5 months prior to the accident. Due to the amount of damage observed to the fracture surfaces of the baffle cone, it was likely that the fracture occurred prior to the annual inspection. Inspection guidance used by the maintenance facility that performed the annual inspection included an inspection of the muffler, heat exchange, and baffles.
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 maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Ground collision during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Damaged/degraded
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Scheduled/routine inspection › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 55 in this make and model; 263 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 22, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,012 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 16, 2010; 2 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 06A Tuskegee AL at 5:35 pm
- Destination: 06A Tuskegee AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from AUO, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.