Cessna 182C accident near Tinian, PO, August 16, 1993
On August 16, 1993 at about 2:45 am local time, a Cessna 182C, registered N8885T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tinian, PO (West Tinian airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to retract the flaps during the initial climb, and, his failure to maintain an adequate airspeed, which led to an inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1993 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Tinian, PO · West Tinian
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8885T · no longer on the register · serial 52785
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO FAA AIRMAN RECORD FILES, THE PILOT DOES NOT HOLD A PILOT OR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WAS DISPATCHED TO THE ISLAND TO CONDUCT AN ON SITE INVESTIGATION. THE INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION RECORDED IN THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS WAS DATED 15 MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE INSPECTOR SAID THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN RECENTLY REBUILT WITH A REMANUFACTURED ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED SAIPAN AND FLEW TO TINIAN WHERE THE PILOT PERFORMED A TOUCH AND GO. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SEEMED TO OSCILLATE IN PITCH IN THE INITIAL CLIMB AFTER LIFT OFF. SEVERAL OF THE WITNESSES SAID THE AIRCRAFT 'STALLED AND PITCHED OVER' THREE TIMES DURING THE CLIMB. DURING THE THIRD WITNESS PERCEIVED STALL MANEUVER, THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TO DESCEND WITH THE WINGS ROCKING INTO THE TREES ABOUT ONE HALF MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE WRECKAGE, THE MANUALLY ACTIVATED FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED.
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
- Flight time: 200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,476 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGWT Saipan PO at 2:39 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 5,986 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 am from PTN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.