Cessna 182H accident near Eagle Lake, Texas, November 23, 1995
On November 23, 1995 at about 1:15 am local time, a Cessna 182H, registered N8493S, was destroyed in an accident near Eagle Lake, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors were the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing and the dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 1995 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Eagle Lake, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · all 182Hs on the register
- Registration
- N8493S · no longer on the register · serial 18256593
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During cruise flight at night, the engine started 'missing and stopped running at altitude 8,500 feet.' The left fuel gauge was showing 1/4 tank and the right fuel gauge was showing less than 1/4 tank. The GPS showed the nearest airport was at Columbus, Texas. The pilot contacted FSS and was informed that the Columbus Airport was inactive. The pilot saw the Eagle Lake Airport rotating beacon and headed towards it. At 1,000 feet 'the engine started but ran rough' and at 300 feet the 'engine quit again.' The pilot executed a landing to a field and during the landing roll the airplane struck a terrace area. The nose landing gear separated from the fuselage and a post impact fire ensued. Performance data provided by the manufacturer concluded the aircraft would have a flight endurance of 6.6 hours with no fuel reserve. The flight originated from Neosho, Missouri, with 80 gallons of fuel about 4 hours 15 minutes before the accident, and was en route to Victoria, Texas.
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: 1,350 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,279 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 31, 1994; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R-25B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EOS Neosho MO at 9:00 pm
- Destination: VCT Victoria TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.