Cessna 182P accident near Napa, California, February 4, 1983
On February 4, 1983 at about 9:40 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N9907M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Napa, California (Napa County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 1983 · about 9:40 pm local time
- Place
- Napa, California · Napa County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N9907M · no longer on the register · serial 18264803
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PASSENGER, WHO WAS THE OWNER OF THE ACFT, PREFLIGHTED THE ACFT & STATED THE FUEL TANKS WERE OVER HALF FULL. THE PLT ALSO NOTED THAT BOTH FUEL GAUGES READ OVER HALF FULL. THE FLT DEPARTED OAKLAND AT 1310. ABOUT 10 MI FROM NAPA THE PLT BRIEFLY APPLIED CARB HEAT AT 2,500 FT. ABOUT 2 MIN LATER HE REAPPLIED CARB HEAT, REDUCED POWER TO 15 INCHES & DESCENDED TO PATTERN ALTITUDE. AT 1340, WHILE ON SHORT FINAL, THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER BUT THE ENG FAILED TO RESPOND. THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A SOFT DIRT FIELD WITHIN 1 MILE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE UNTIL 5 OR 6 WEEKS AFTER THE ACCIDENT. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK & ABOUT 4 GALS WAS DRAINED FROM THE RIGHT TANK.
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: 1,268 hours in all; 945 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 1,131 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,521 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1982; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 9:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 5,007 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:42 pm from APC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.