Cessna 182B accident near Ozona, Texas, February 6, 1999
On February 6, 1999 at about 3:03 am local time, a Cessna 182B, registered N54FC, was destroyed in an accident near Ozona, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to obtain/maintain clearance from terrain during initial climb after take off. A contributing factor was the dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1999 · about 3:03 am local time
- Place
- Ozona, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182B · all 182Bs on the register
- Registration
- N54FC · no longer on the register · serial 51897
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Two witnesses observed the single-engine airplane take off into the dark night on a bearing of 340 degrees. The wreckage was found the next morning approximately three miles from the departure end of the runway on gently rising terrain at an elevation of 2,978 feet MSL. The elevation of the departure airport was 2,381 feet MSL. The aircraft was found severely fragmented along a 625-foot energy path bearing 360 degrees. All components of the aircraft were found within the energy path. A field examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal evidence of any pre-impact anomalies. Flight control continuity could not be established due to the fragmentation of the airframe. However, the control cables were examined, and each exhibited overload in the segments that were broken. Toxicology tests on the pilot were negative, and no pre-existing medical conditions were found during an autopsy that would have contributed to the accident. The estimated weight and balance for the airplane was within limits.
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: 390 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,925 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L16F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O8E TX at 3:00 am
- Destination: NONE Midkiff TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.