Cessna 182E accident near Smithfield, Rhode Island, September 6, 1997
On September 6, 1997 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182E, registered N3286Y, was destroyed in an accident near Smithfield, Rhode Island (North Central State airport). It was a skydiving flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power for undetermined reason, and the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1997 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Smithfield, Rhode Island · North Central State
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N3286Y · no longer on the register · serial 18254286
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane flew eight times on the same day, prior to the accident flight, taking skydivers aloft and releasing them. According to the airplane's log, the airplane was refueled 2 flights prior to the accident flight with 20 gallons of fuel. According to the owner, this was to keep the airplane within the center of gravity limits. According to witnesses and a video taken of the airplane, the pilot and five skydivers boarded the airplane and departed. The airplane reached about 300 feet agl when the engine lost power. The witnesses reported that the airplane pitched up in a nose high attitude, rolled left, and descended until ground impact about 90 degrees off runway heading. The airplane came to rest in an upright position, against the initial trees of a wooded area. The propeller was found under the right wing. One blade was bent aft 90 degrees with lengthwise scratching. The engine was test run, and no mechanical malfunction were found.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 553 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,850 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1997; 392 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SFZ at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 pm from SFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.
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.