Cessna 182Q accident near Port Sulphur, Louisiana, May 20, 1992
On May 20, 1992 at about 6:41 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N735SW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Sulphur, Louisiana (Birdwin airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT PLANNED THE APPROACH WITH A TAILWIND AND DID NOT ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND AND THE DELAYED ABORTED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1992 · about 6:41 pm local time
- Place
- Port Sulphur, Louisiana · Birdwin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N735SW · registry record · serial 18265657
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A VFR APPROACH AND LANDING THE PILOT ABORTED THE APPROACH BECAUSE OF POWER LINES ACROSS THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT THEN ENTERED LEFT DOWNWIND AND PLANNED FOR A LONG FINAL APPROACH AND SHORT FIELD LANDING. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE LANDED LONG WITH A 15 KNOT TAILWIND AND FULL FLAPS. DURING THE LANDING, THE PILOT RETRACTED THE FLAPS AND ADDED FULL POWER WITH APPROXIMATELY 400 TO 500 FEET OF REMAINING RUNWAY. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB, THE AIRPLANE CLEARED A CANAL AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY; HOWEVER, THE GEAR IMPACTED A DIRT LEVEE AND THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 159 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 119 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,348 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 4, 1991; 232 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mgm Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3F3 Mansfield LA at 4:28 pm
- Destination: 7LA1 Port Sulphur LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 1,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.