Cessna 182P accident near Alachua, Florida, March 15, 2011
On March 15, 2011 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N430ML, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Alachua, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 the failure of the camshaft gear teeth and crankshaft gear teeth for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2011 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Alachua, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N430ML · no longer on the register · serial 18263045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While the pilot was maneuvering the airplane to set up a visual approach, the engine lost partial power. The pilot attempted to restore full engine power but was unsuccessful. Subsequently, he made a forced landing in a field, and the airplane nosed over. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed that it would only partially rotate by hand with resistance. Further examination revealed that the camshaft gear was missing nine teeth and that one tooth was damaged. The crankshaft gear was missing four consecutive teeth, and one tooth was missing from another location on the gear. A metallurgical evaluation of the camshaft gear, crankshaft gear, an exhaust valve, and a lifter revealed that the components met all the material properties requirements. The fracture surfaces on the camshaft and crankshaft gears were damaged due to post-separation contact. Debris from the oil sump was identified as nitrided gear material and lifter fragments. The engine had accumulated about 12 hours of operating time since its most recent inspection, which included an oil change. At the time of the accident, the engine had accumulated a total time of 750.7 hours. According to the owner and the engine maintenance log, no propeller strikes had occurred since the engine was installed on the airframe.
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 (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Damaged/degraded
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 15, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,050 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 15, 2010
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Armstrong Equipment Leasing CO
The flight
- Departed from: LEE Leesburg FL at 5:40 pm
- Destination: 15FL Lake City FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from GNV, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.