Cessna 182T accident near St Marys, Pennsylvania, May 3, 2015
On May 3, 2015 at about 4:15 pm local time, a 2003 Cessna 182T, registered N53310, was substantially damaged in an accident during prior to flight near St Marys, Pennsylvania (St Marys Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to rotate the propeller by hand without properly securing the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2015 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- St Marys, Pennsylvania · St Marys Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182T T, built 2003 · all 182Ts on the register
- Registration
- N53310 · registry record · serial 18281199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, following preflight inspection he attempted to start the engine with the electrical starter but was unable to get the engine to turn over. He turned the magnetos to the off position and then got out of the airplane to "turn the prop through," but was not attempting to hand prop the engine. When the pilot rotated the propeller by hand, the engine started and the airplane immediately began moving forward. He attempted to enter the airplane but was unable to stop the airplane before it impacted an airport building. A passenger was sitting in the front right seat of the airplane and was able to evacuate the airplane after it collided with a building. The pilot stated that he should have chocked the wheels, but he was not planning on starting the engine. According to the airport manager who responded within minutes after the accident, he observed the ignition key selected to the left magneto, and then turned the key off during the post-accident emergency response. The airport manager also reported that the throttle was in the full forward position and the mixture was in the full rich position. During a post-accident examination, a Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector found no anomalies with the ignition wiring system or magneto P-leads. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight defining event
- Ground collision during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › (general) › Unintentional use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Parking/securing › Tie › down/mooring › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Residence/building › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 625 hours in all; 625 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 575 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 27, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,231 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-550 (piston); 300 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OYM St Marys PA at 4:25 pm
- Destination: PEO Penn Yan NY
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from KFIG, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.