Cessna TR182 accident near Watertown, New York, October 31, 2016
On October 31, 2016 at about 8:20 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna TR182, registered N4657S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Watertown, New York (Watertown Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A collapse of the main landing gear for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 31, 2016 · about 8:20 pm local time
- Place
- Watertown, New York · Watertown Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 NO SERIES, built 1980 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N4657S · registry record · serial R18201369
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before landing at the conclusion of the personal flight, the commercial pilot extended the airplane's retractable landing gear and observed a green light indicating the landing gear were down. During landing, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear, and the airplane veered off the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage, elevator, and right horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the landing gear circuit breaker was tripped and that the landing gear warning horn was not functional. Further examination of the landing gear system revealed intermittent sticking of the landing gear solenoid, which resulted in the power pack continuing to run for longer than necessary, which would subsequently trip the landing gear circuit breaker. Replacement of the solenoid corrected the issue. The examination did not reveal any other anomalies of the landing gear system. Given the pilot's report of observing a positive indication that the landing gear extended, as well as the anomalies of the landing gear system that were discovered during the postaccident examination, the method and sequence of the landing gear collapse 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,490.1 hours in all; 63.2 in this make and model; 27.1 in the last 90 days; 16.1 in the last 30 days; 2,188 as pilot in command; 25 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 15, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,892.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 17, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 1,954 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MSS Massena NY at 7:15 pm
- Destination: ART Watertown NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,999 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from KART
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on November 4, 2019. 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, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Post Accident Examination Results (Correspondence with Mechanic) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Memorandum for Record - Mechanic | 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 N4657S 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.