Cessna 182C accident near Porter, Texas, September 4, 1993
On September 4, 1993 at about 12:44 pm local time, a Cessna 182C, registered N8488T, was destroyed in an accident near Porter, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WHICH MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED WERE THE DISTORTED AND SEPARATED MUFFLER COMPONENTS RESULTING FROM IMPROPER MAINTENANCE BY AN UNKNOWN PERSON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1993 · about 12:44 pm local time
- Place
- Porter, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8488T · no longer on the register · serial 52388
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAXI, WITNESSES OBSERVED BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST. THEY ALSO SAID THE ENGINE STARTED TO LOSE POWER DURING THE TAKEOFF GROUND RUN. THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF THE RUNWAY ABOUT MIDFIELD; THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING ROUGH & MISSING, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT CLIMBING WELL. THEY OBSERVED THE LANDING GEAR AND LOWER FUSELAGE STRIKE THE TREES. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT CONE BAFFLE OF THE MUFFLER SEPARATED DUE TO OXIDATION. FRACTURING MODE WAS MOST PROBABLY PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE, AND THE CONE HAD SEPARATED AT SOME POINT PRIOR. HOWEVER, THE MODE OF FRACTURING COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO THE OXIDATION. THE END PLATES AND INLET TUBES OF THE MUFFLER EXHIBITED DEFORMATION AND THEY DID NOT CONFORM TO THE MANUFACTURER'S SPECIFICATION. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER NOT DESTROYED BY THE POST CRASH FIRE DID NOT REVEAL ANY ADDITIONAL 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,170 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,872 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 19, 1993; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: FLP Flippin AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,300 ft; not recorded at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from IAH, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.