Cessna 182G accident near Paradise, California, September 28, 2002
On September 28, 2002 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182G, registered N2443R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paradise, California (Paradise Skypark 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper flare resulting in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2002 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Paradise, California · Paradise Skypark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N2443R · registry record · serial 18255543
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a hard landing collapsing the nose gear and damaging the firewall. The pilot took off and turned to downwind for landing. He reported that he flew an uneventful and normal approach. He said that he touched down on the main landing gear, but the nose gear folded under the airplane as it touched down. An examination of the runway by the Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator revealed a skid mark on the runway at the touchdown point. He also observed gouges on the runway surface and chunks of displaced runway material. The nose wheel deformed and buckled inboard along one quadrant. The nose gear fork fractured in several places; these fracture surfaces were irregular and rough in appearance. The fork split along its lateral axis, and the aft half of the fork also split parallel to the longitudinal axis. The aft half of the nose gear collar and a section of the aft fork fractured and separated. The fork fracture surface angled about 45 degrees to the surface, and had an uneven and grainy surface. The firewall sustained upward crush damage, and was buckled. The bottom and sides of the fuselage were buckled aft of the main landing gear.
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: 730 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 640 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 6, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q88 Paradise CA at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,700 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KRBL, 40 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.