Cessna 182A accident near Claremore, Oklahoma, February 22, 2004
On February 22, 2004 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N30408, was substantially damaged in an accident near Claremore, Oklahoma (Sam Riggs Airpark airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to fuel contamination (water). A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2004 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Claremore, Oklahoma · Sam Riggs Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N30408 · registry record · serial 34572
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After departure, at an altitude of approximately 500 feet agl, the 2,100-hour pilot reported the engine "lost most of its power output." The pilot stated he applied carburetor heat and did not notice improvement. The pilot banked the airplane slightly to the right to avoid an approaching tree line and initiated an emergency landing to an open grass field. Subsequently, the airplane impacted terrain. The pilot stated that the airplane was last refueled using fuel from five five-gallon plastic containers prior to the flight. He noted there was 12 gallons of fuel in the left fuel tank, and three gallons in the right fuel tank. Examination of the airplane's fuel system revealed a light brown milky substance in the carburetor bowl and both wing fuel tanks. Water was observed in one of the five containers used for refueling. The engine was succsessfully ran for 30 minutes at various power settings on a test bench and was noted to be free of anomalies.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 2003; 103.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K11 Claremore OK at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,760 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 9:30 pm from GCM, 9 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.