Cessna T182 accident near Galesburg, Illinois, October 4, 2016
On October 4, 2016 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2003 Cessna T182, registered N400KX, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Galesburg, Illinois (Galesburg Muni airport). It was a business 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
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a bounced, hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 4, 2016 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Galesburg, Illinois · Galesburg Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T182 T, built 2003 · all T182s on the register
- Registration
- N400KX · registry record · serial T18208212
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the airplane bounced on the initial touchdown followed by a gust of wind that allowed the airplane to "float" longer than he had intended. The pilot further reported that the airplane bounced hard a second time, raising the nose considerably higher. Subsequently the airplane impacted the pavement and broke the nose wheel off allowing the airplane to come to rest in a nose down attitude. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its firewall. The pilot reported that there were no pre impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal 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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
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 › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,556 hours in all; 2,754 in this make and model; 20.5 in the last 90 days; 6.6 in the last 30 days; 6,556 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 25, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,420 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AKIA (piston); 1,420 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VYS Peru IL at 3:15 pm
- Destination: GBG Galesburg IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 3,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots, gusting 5
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:55 pm from GBG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 8, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.