Cessna 180 accident near Abilene, Texas, February 22, 1982
On February 22, 1982 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N3643C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abilene, Texas (Abilene Muni. 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1982 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Abilene, Texas · Abilene Muni.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3643C · registry record · serial 31141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON CLIMBOUT, AS POWER WAS BEING REDUCED FROM TAKEOFF POWER TO CLIMB POWER, THE ENGINE FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT SO THAT THE RIGHT WING ABSORBED THE INITIAL IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.
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
- Flight time: 3,625 hours in all; 840 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,124 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABI Abilene TX
- Destination: Plano TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 6:00 am from ABI
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.