Cessna 182 accident near Marion, Indiana, May 5, 2019
On May 5, 2019 at about 9:12 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 182, registered N96974, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Marion, Indiana (Marion Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper trim setting and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during a go-around, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 5, 2019 · about 9:12 pm local time
- Place
- Marion, Indiana · Marion Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 Q, built 1979 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N96974 · no longer on the register · serial 18266920
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during landing, the airplane landed hard and bounced. He decided to go around, so he added full power, but the nose pitched up sharply. He added that he attempted to lower the nose, but the airspeed decreased, and the airplane "lost lift on [the] right side." He pushed forward on the control yoke, but the airplane drifted right, the right wing aerodynamically stalled, and the airplane impacted the ground next to a taxiway and spun around. A passenger saw a fire in front of the firewall, and all occupants exited the airplane. The airplane was destroyed by postaccident fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector reported that the pilot stated he used nose-up trim during the approach. The pilot also stated that, during the go-around, he attempted to use the electric trim to trim nose down. When the airplane nosed up, the pilot attempted to lower the nose but hesitated due to the airplane being near the ground, and he retracted the flaps. The FAA inspector examined the airplane and found that the trim setting was "just short of full nose up trim."
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 approach (VFR go-around)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR go-around)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › Elevator tab control system › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,880 hours in all; 1,840 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,800 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 20, 2018
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,073.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 1,718 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RCR Rochester IN at 8:45 pm
- Destination: MZZ Marion IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 6,011 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from KMZZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 23, 2019. 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 | FAA Inspector Notes | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.