Cessna 182RG accident near Davis, California, April 1, 1988
On April 1, 1988 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N400BT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davis, California (Davis airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- April 1, 1988 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Davis, California · Davis
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N400BT · registry record · serial R18200452
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 471 hours in all; 151 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 417 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,484 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 22, 1987; 171 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAC Sacramento CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,185 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from SAC, 14 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.