Cessna 182P accident near Lufkin, Texas, January 10, 1995
On January 10, 1995, a Cessna 182P, registered N7340Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lufkin, Texas (Lufkin airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S IMPAIRMENT OF JUDGMENT AND PERFORMANCE DUE TO MULTIPLE DRUGS, WHICH RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE APPROACH/FLARE FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1995
- Place
- Lufkin, Texas · Lufkin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N7340Q · registry record · serial 18260980
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ORIGINALLY, THE PILOT WAS ON A FLIGHT FROM CLEBURNE, TX, TO MCALLEN, TX. HOWEVER, EN ROUTE, HE BELIEVED THAT HIS NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT WAS NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY, AND HE SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED AT MARBLE FALLS, TX. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO CLEBURNE AT NIGHT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER EXPERIENCING FURTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE NAVIGATION EQUIPMENT, THE FLIGHT 'ENDED' AT LUFKIN, TX. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT, AS THE AIRPLANE WAS APPROACHING RUNWAY 25 AT THE LUFKIN AIRPORT, IT CROSSED THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD ABOUT 20 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND FLEW LEVEL DOWN THE RUNWAY CENTER LINE. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THAT ABOUT 1/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE 'DROPPED ITS LEFT WING, SPUN, AND HIT THE GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE 'AIRCRAFT MADE AN ABRUPT LEFT DIVE AND HIT THE GROUND.' AN EXAM OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PREACCIDENT ANOMALIES OF THE AIRFRAME, ENGINE, OR EQUIPMENT. TOXICOLOGY TESTS SHOWED THE PILOT'S BLOOD CONTAINED 0.20 MG/L (0.20 MCG/ML) OF DIAZEPAM (VALIUM), 0.55 MG/L (0.55 MCG/ML) OF NORDIAZEPAM (METABOLITE OF VALIUM), AND 6.9 MG/L (6.9 MCG/ML) OF BUTALBITAL. VALIUM IS AN ANTIANXIETY AGENT AND MUSCLE RELAXANT, AND BUTALBITAL IS A BARBITURATE/SEDATIVE. NEITHER DRUG IS APPROVED FOR USE WHILE FLYING.
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: 120 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4R2 Marble Falls TX
- Destination: F18 Cleburne TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 25, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.