Cessna 182 accident near Salisbury, North Carolina, November 28, 2015
On November 28, 2015 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 182, registered N2000R, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Salisbury, North Carolina (Rowan County airport). It was a skydiving 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain pitch control during the landing flare, causing the airplane to balloon and land hard.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 28, 2015 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salisbury, North Carolina · Rowan County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 G, built 1963 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N2000R · registry record · serial 18255200
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the tricycle landing gear equipped airplane, he was performing skydiving operations. He reported that he felt rushed in performing his assigned duties because, "the skydiving school kept wanting me to return quicker for the next load." The pilot recalled that after dropping the sky divers, he made his approach to land; the airplane ballooned during the flare, and landed hard on all three landing gear. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal flight operation.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of lift during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Task environment › Pressures/demands › Time/schedule pressure › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 406 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 321 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 19, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,934 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 6, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470-R (piston); 1,957 hours total
- Operator: Piedmont Skydiving Center LLC
The flight
- Departed from: RUQ Salisbury NC
- Destination: RUQ Salisbury NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,501 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KRUQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA16CA081.