Cessna 182 accident near Lake Havasu, Arizona, March 15, 1993
On March 15, 1993 at about 3:00 am local time, a Cessna 182, registered N466KT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Havasu, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER WELDING OF THE INBOARD BOSS BY AN UNKNOWN PERSON RESULTING IN A FATIGUE FAILURE ON THE INBOARD BOSS. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE VEHICLE THAT WAS STRUCK DURING THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 1993 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Lake Havasu, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N466KT · no longer on the register · serial 18255870
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT AT 8000 FEET, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT TRIED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING AT LAKE HAVASU AIRPORT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE AIRPORT. HE SELECTED A ROADWAY ABOUT 2 1/2 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. DURING THE FINAL APPROACH TO THE ROADWAY, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A VEHICLE. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER'S INBOARD BOSS HAD BEEN WELDED. THE WELD REPAIR IS SPECIFICALLY PROHIBITED BY TELEDYNE CONTINENTAL MOTORS SPECIFICATION MHS 217. THIS UNAPPROVED WELD LED TO SIGNIFICANT SOFTENING OF THE INBOARD BOSS, AND A REDUCTION OF FATIGUE STRENGTH. THE AIRPLANE RECORDS REVEALED THAT THE CYLINDERS HAD BEEN PURCHASED AT A AUCTION, AND THE CYLINDER'S MAINTENANCE HISTORY IS UNKNOWN. THE AIRPLANE RECORDS DID NOT REFLECT THAT ANY WELDING REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED ON THE NUMBER TWO CYLINDER.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,605 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 90 in the last 30 days; 21,305 as pilot in command; 5,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,451 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 17, 1992; 167 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: YUM Yuma AZ at 2:00 am
- Destination: SGU St. George UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from BLH, 67 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.