Cessna 182F accident near Warrenton, Virginia, June 23, 2011
On June 23, 2011 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182F, registered N3152U, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Warrenton, Virginia (Warrenton Air Park airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The fatigue failure of the left main landing gear due to inadequate maintenance inspection that did not detect and correct corrosion pitting.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2011 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Warrenton, Virginia · Warrenton Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3152U · no longer on the register · serial 18254552
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as he taxied the airplane to the runway for takeoff, the left main landing gear collapsed. Examination revealed that the left main landing gear had fractured and completely separated from the airplane about 6 inches outboard of its attachment point at the airframe. Examination of the fracture surface on the section of landing gear leg that remained attached to the airframe revealed features consistent with fatigue failure. Examination of the underside of the landing gear leg in an area directly adjacent to the fatigue zone revealed multiple corrosion pits. The manufacturer's maintenance guidance called for visual inspection of the landing gear every 100 hours, and the maintenance manual included information specific to corrosion control on the landing gear legs.
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
- Landing gear collapse during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,839 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 2011
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aivcon INC
The flight
- Departed from: 7VG0 Warrenton VA
- Destination: 7VG0 Warrenton VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,215 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from HWY, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.