Cessna T182T accident near Vandenberg, Florida, May 28, 2008
On May 28, 2008 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna T182T, registered N2252Z, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Vandenberg, Florida (Vandenberg 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 unstabilized approach and failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a veer off the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2008 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Vandenberg, Florida · Vandenberg Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T182T · all T182Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2252Z · registry record · serial T18208490
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on final approach to the destination airport, the pilot noted that the airplane was configured about 20 knots too fast. He further noted that he overcorrected for an 8- to 10-knot crosswind with the addition of too much rudder deflection. After touchdown, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway, collapsing the nose landing gear and substantially damaging the fuselage undercarriage. The pilot stated that there were no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 400 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Unknown
- Destination: VDF Vandenberg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:21 pm from VDF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N2252Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 LAX08CA158.