Cessna 182 accident near Umpire, Arkansas, December 16, 1998
On December 16, 1998 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N1933N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Umpire, Arkansas. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Catastrophic engine failure due to failures of the #5 piston, #5 connecting rod, and the camshaft. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1998 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Umpire, Arkansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N1933N · registry record · serial 18265355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 15-minutes after takeoff, the pilot of the single engine airplane felt slight vibrations and a 'noise' which became increasingly louder. The engine then lost power and the pilot maneuvered over hilly terrain toward an open field. Approaching the field and in a rapid descent, the airplane struck power lines. After striking the lines, the pilot managed to land the airplane in the field, and the nose gear collapsed structurally damaging the airplane. An examination and disassembly of the engine revealed that the crankcase was penetrated. The #5 piston was separated in the piston boss area and the skirt was shattered. The piston pin was intact and attached to a short section of the #5 connecting rod. The #5 connecting rod was found fractured in two places along its length, with the center section of rod missing. The camshaft had numerous impact marks and was found separated into three parts.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 9,700 as pilot in command; 1,230 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M89 Mena AR at 4:00 pm
- Destination: LFT Lafayette LA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.