Cessna 182P accident near Kirbyville, Texas, September 5, 2002
On September 5, 2002 at about 7:39 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N41CW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kirbyville, Texas. 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 pilot's physical impairment due to a previous head injury which resulted in his becoming disoriented. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2002 · about 7:39 pm local time
- Place
- Kirbyville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N41CW · registry record · serial 18263686
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross-country flight, the pilot became severely disoriented. He was unable to get the "GPS or the aircraft avionics to work correctly," and therefore, could not verify the airplane's position or heading. He decided to land the airplane. Unable to locate an airport in the immediate area, the pilot executed a precautionary landing to a dirt road. During the landing, the right main landing gear struck a hole, and the airplane nosed over. An examination of the pilot after the accident revealed that he had a subdural hematoma ( bleeding in the brain). Approximately 3 months prior to the accident, the pilot was involved in a motorcycle accident and sustained several injuries. Approximately 1 week prior to the accident, the pilot was released from his physician and was not aware of any medical condition that would have prevented him from operating an airplane. The day before the accident, the pilot completed a round-trip flight with no problems noted. At the time of the accident, the pilot was not taking any prescription medication or receiving any treatment for any medical condition.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 187 hours in all; 187 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 187 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 18, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,399 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLL College Station TX at 4:30 pm
- Destination: LFT Lafayette LA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.