Cessna 182 accident near Hot Springs, Virginia, August 8, 2015
On August 8, 2015 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 182, registered N7506S, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Hot Springs, Virginia (Ingalls Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power during initial climb due to the failure of a magneto. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's decision to operate the airplane without a current annual inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2015 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hot Springs, Virginia · Ingalls Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 Q, built 1976 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N7506S · no longer on the register · serial 18265199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-pilot-rated passenger had recently purchased the airplane, which had not been flown in the previous 6 years and did not have a current annual inspection. He and his brother, a private pilot, were returning the airplane to their home airport. During the initial climb after takeoff, about 100 ft above ground level, the engine rpm "dropped"; the pilot landed on the remaining runway but was unable to stop the airplane before it departed the end of the runway and nosed over. A postaccident examination revealed that the right magneto did not produce spark. It is likely that the magneto failed during the takeoff, resulting in the loss of engine power. The pilot reported that fuel sampled from the right wing tank before the accident flight had a green tint and postaccident photographs showed green staining on the right side fuselage consistent with a leak from the right wing. The source of the green tint was not determined; however, it likely did not affect engine operation since the fuel selector was set to the left fuel tank, which did not have any evidence of green-tinted fuel, and no green tint was observed in the fuel strainer.
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 initial climb defining event
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- 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 Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Magneto/distributor › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 361 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HSP Hot Springs VA at 2:15 pm
- Destination: LNP Wise VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 2:10 pm from KHSP, 1 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.
Other NTSB records under N7506S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.