Cessna 182A accident near Clarksville, Texas, October 8, 1983
On October 8, 1983 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N4979D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarksville, Texas (Red River CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- October 8, 1983 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clarksville, Texas · Red River CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N4979D · registry record · serial 51079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACRT CRASHED INTO TREES DURING A FORCED LANDING WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF CLIMB AFTER A POWER REDUCTION. THE PLT SAID HE WAS TOO LOW TO MANEUVER SO HE LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD INTO THE TREES. THE PLT SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICING. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 76 DEGREES AND THE DEW POINT WAS 64 DEGREES F WHICH IS CONDUCIVE TO CARBURETOR ICING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,046 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; ovct at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DAL, 120 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.