Cessna 182J accident near Perkasie, Pennsylvania, May 24, 2014
On May 24, 2014 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1966 Cessna 182J, registered N3388F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Perkasie, Pennsylvania (Pennridge Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to select and attain a proper touchdown point during landing which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2014 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Perkasie, Pennsylvania · Pennridge Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J, built 1966 · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N3388F · no longer on the register · serial 18257388
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was practicing takeoffs and landings in the airport traffic pattern. After takeoff, he noted that the air was very turbulent, and decided to land. The pilot made two landing attempts, and during the third attempt, the airplane landed long and overran the runway. The airplane traveled over an embankment, contacted several logs, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Post-accident examination revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, left wing and vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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 area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Landing distance › Capability exceeded
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 59 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,787 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 2014; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 2,566 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CKZ Perkasie PA at 10:40 pm
- Destination: CKZ Perkasie PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26L, 4,215 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,500 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from UKT, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on March 2, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 1 - Buckled Engine Cowling and Fuselage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Photo 2 - Buckled Left Wing (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo 3 - Buckled Vertical Stabilizer (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.