Cessna 182 accident near Gainesville, Florida, February 28, 2016
On February 28, 2016 at about 5:00 pm local time, a 1967 Cessna 182, registered N2861R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Gainesville, Florida (Gainesville Rgnl airport). 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
The failure of the engine crankshaft near the Nos. 4 and 5 crankshaft journals due to oil starvation. The reason for the oil starvation could not be determined during postaccident examination.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 2016 · about 5:00 pm local time · cases in 2016
- Place
- Gainesville, Florida · Gainesville Rgnl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 K, built 1967 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N2861R · no longer on the register · serial 18258461
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot stated that, before takeoff, he conducted a preflight inspection of the airplane and added 1 quart of oil to make a total of 8 quarts of oil in the airplane; the engine runup was normal. He further stated that the approximate 2-hour flight was uneventful until after he was cleared to land, when the engine began to run "rough." He enriched the mixture and reduced power, but the engine began shaking, oil sprayed onto the windshield, and then the engine lost total power. He declared an emergency and conducted a forced landing on a road, during which the left wing impacted a tree. An examination of the engine revealed that the crankshaft's Nos. 4 and 5 connecting rod journals exhibited discoloration and heat damage, consistent with oil starvation, and that the rods had separated from the crankcases at their respective journals. The main bearing support mating surfaces were intact and exhibited no signs of fretting, bearing movement, or bearing rotation. The oil galleys and passages in the crankshaft and engine case halves were clear and unrestricted. Although an unmeasured quantity of oil was noted in the engine's oil sump, due to the damage of the sump and crankcase, the quantity of oil in the engine before the accident could not be determined.
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 approach
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Failure other cases naming the engine
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level other cases naming the engine
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 6, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,139 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 2015; 130 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 Series (piston); 2,135 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 3:00 pm
- Destination: GNV Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KGNV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
11 documents, released by the NTSB on March 5, 2018. 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Log | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Engine Maintenance Logbook | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Engine Data Monitor Data Plot | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Engine Data Monitor Tabular Data | data file | Download |
| 7 | NTSB Engine Examination Report | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2861R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2861R: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Cessna 182 Skylane 11,834 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Cont Motor IO-550 Series 3,077 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Gainesville Regional · nearest airport
- Fort Lauderdale Executive · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 989 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,712 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N2861R 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA16LA114.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.