Cessna T182 accident near Brandon, Florida, January 11, 2013
On January 11, 2013 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Cessna T182, registered N9454H, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Brandon, Florida (Peter O Knight 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
Failure of the No. 2 cylinder’s rod bearing, which resulted in a total loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 2013 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Brandon, Florida · Peter O Knight · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T182 · all T182s on the register
- Registration
- N9454H · no longer on the register · serial 18267950
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was climbing through about 3,000 feet mean sea level when it began to vibrate, and oil covered the windscreen. The pilot chose to perform and off-airport landing to an empty field. During landing, the airplane impacted the ground in a flat-pitch attitude, which resulted in the left wing buckling. A subsequent examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 cylinder's aluminum-clad rod bearing had failed. The bearing likely failed due to progressive cracking and spalling or delamination within the bearing. The No. 3 cylinder's bearing exhibited similar cracking and delamination. It is likely that the failure of the No. 2 cylinder's rod bearing resulted in a total loss of engine power.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,400 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 5,200 as pilot in command; 1,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 21, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 15, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPF Tampa FL at 8:30 pm
- Destination: OPF Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from TPF, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.