Cessna 182K accident near Ellington, Connecticut, July 13, 1997
On July 13, 1997 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182K, registered N2539R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellington, Connecticut (Ellington 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of speed and distance and his failure to execute a go around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 1997 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ellington, Connecticut · Ellington
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182K · all 182Ks on the register
- Registration
- N2539R · registry record · serial 18258239
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he overflew the airport and checked the windsock. He said the winds were variable so he planned for a landing on runway 19. He pulled the power to idle as he approached the threshold, but the airplane did not settle onto the 1,800 foot long runway. After the airplane touched down, he indicated that the brakes were unable to stop the airplane on the remaining runway, the airplane overran the end of the runway, and nosed over into a ditch. The pilot reported there was no mechanical malfunction with the airplane or engine. The reported winds at the time of the accident were from 280 degrees at 10 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 247 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 450 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,346 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 9, 1997; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EWB New Bedford MA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 7B9 CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from BDL, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 IAD97LA098.