Cessna TR182 accident near Fresno, California, October 19, 1999
On October 19, 1999 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N756LE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fresno, California. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate maintenance inspection mandated by the FAA, and the inadequate design of the exhaust heater core/muffler and deflectors that failed to divert hot exhaust gasses away from the battery and cabin heat valve.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 19, 1999 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fresno, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N756LE · no longer on the register · serial 01101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed on a VFR cross-country flight. While cruising at 9,500 feet msl, smoke filled the cockpit, coming from the engine compartment. The pilot was monitoring the local approach control. He declared an emergency and started a descent. He was unable, however, to see an airport in the immediate area due to limited forward visibility. He subsequently landed in a residential area under development and collided with two parked cars. Postaccident examination of the engine compartment revealed that the exhaust heater core aft end plate had failed and was open. The end plate was found in the engine compartment. The failure caused the right side exhaust to exit directly at the firewall, partially separated by the airplane battery and cabin air-mixing valve.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,313 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1998; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 061 Cameron Park CA at 3:20 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from FAT, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.