Cessna 182 accident near Charleston, West Virginia, September 5, 2019
On September 5, 2019 at about 3:30 am local time, a 1966 Cessna 182, registered N2408Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Charleston, West Virginia (Yeager airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper approach path at night and his misjudgment of the landing point, which resulted in landing short of the runway and impact with the runway's engineered materials arrestor system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2019 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Charleston, West Virginia · Yeager · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 J, built 1966 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N2408Q · no longer on the register · serial 18257608
- 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, while performing landings for night currency, he misjudged the approach, and the airplane landed short of the runway and then impacted the engineered materials arrestor system, which was about 370 ft lower than the approach end of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Archived NOTAMs for the date of the accident reported that the runway's visual approach slope indicator and end lighting were out of service.
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Approach aid coverage/avail › Visual approach aid › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Operating environment › Approach aid coverage/avail › Approach lighting › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,342 hours in all; 1,754 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,137 as pilot in command; 565 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 24, 2019
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,402.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 SERIES (piston); 4,402 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRW Charleston WV at 3:15 am
- Destination: CRW Charleston WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 6,715 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:23 am from KCRW, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 30, 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 | Archived Notam's | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photos | 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.