Cessna 182 accident near Charlotte, North Carolina, November 16, 2018
On November 16, 2018 at about 8:40 pm local time, a 1961 Cessna 182, registered N8903X, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Charlotte, North Carolina (Charlotte/Douglas Intl airport). It was a personal 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2018 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Charlotte, North Carolina · Charlotte/Douglas Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 D, built 1961 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N8903X · registry record · serial 18253303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the preflight inspection, he did not observe any issues with the nosewheel tire. However, during touchdown at the destination airport, he felt something was wrong, so he pulled back on the controls. He added that the airplane "left the ground for a few seconds" and then landed hard the second time. He taxied to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, about 12 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 220° at 5 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 36R.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 279.7 hours in all; 279.7 in this make and model; 19.6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 18, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,494.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 16, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 550 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC at 8:00 pm
- Destination: CLT Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36R, 8,677 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:52 pm from KCLT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 GAA19CA064.