Cessna R182 accident near Clearwater, Florida, August 19, 2017
On August 19, 2017 at about 5:10 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna R182, registered N9155C, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Air Park 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
The improper maintenance of the landing gear system and subsequent failure of the hydraulic landing gear down return line, which resulted in a loss of hydraulic fluid and the pilot’s inability to extend and lock the main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 19, 2017 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 NO SERIES, built 1978 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N9155C · registry record · serial R18200427
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane and did not notice any hydraulic leaks near the landing gear system. After takeoff, he retracted the landing gear and noted that the amber landing gear "UP" indicator had illuminated. While on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, the pilot attempted to extend the landing gear, but they did not extend completely and lock. He then departed the traffic pattern and performed the landing gear malfunction procedures in the pilot operating handbook to no avail. Next, he performed several maneuvers to lock the landing gear in the down position for about 1 hour but was unsuccessful and chose to return to the airport and perform a gear-up landing. After landing, the pilot tried to maintain directional control of the airplane; it came to rest on the runway and sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer. Postaccident examination of the hydraulic system revealed that there was no hydraulic fluid in the reservoir and that hydraulic fluid was leaking from the rubber landing gear down return line. The line was removed, and a leak was noted. The airframe manufacturer's service manual indicated that all rubber parts in the landing gear system, which includes the rubber landing gear down return line, should be replaced every 5 years. Examination of the airplane's maintenance records revealed that there were no maintenance entries related to servicing or replacing that line. Because the landing gear down return line was improperly maintained and was never replaced, it is likely that the line failed and leaked hydraulic fluid, depleting the amount of fluid needed for the landing gear system to maintain hydraulic pressure to extend and lock the main landing gear.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach defining event
- Landing gear not configured during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 913 hours in all; 337 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 876 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 24, 2016
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,196.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2016; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 4,160 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VDF Tampa FL at 4:00 pm
- Destination: CLW Clearwater FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,108 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PIE, 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
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.