Cessna 182B accident near Headland, Alabama, July 28, 2001
On July 28, 2001 at about 6:27 pm local time, a Cessna 182B, registered N7202E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Headland, Alabama (Headland Municipal Airport). It was a skydiving 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 improper decision to perform a go-around while on short final to an available runway following loss of engine power for undetermined reasons when engine power was regained momentarily, which resulted in an impact with terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude to avoid obstacles when engine power was lost a second time.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2001 · about 6:27 pm local time
- Place
- Headland, Alabama · Headland Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182B · all 182Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7202E · registry record · serial 182-52202
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Skydiving flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that as the aircraft descended, the engine was operating at 2000 rpm, and the selected manifold pressure was 15 in Hg, and at 8,000 feet he noticed that the engine had ceased operating. Prior to noticing that the engine had ceased operating he said everything had been normal, but as he maneuvered to land he felt he was too far down the runway to land safely, so he elected to perform a go-around. He said that shortly after he made a steep left turn away from the landing runway, the engine ceased operating again, and as he maneuvered to avoid obstacles, the airplane struck the ground in a nose low attitude. He said that he had full flaps applied during the approach to land, and go-around up through the point of impact with the ground. Postaccident examination of the airplane did not reveal any preaccident failures or malfunctions to the airplane's flight controls, 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,325 hours in all; 60 in this make and model
- Last flight review: May 16, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,242 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 10, 2001; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Teledyne Continental O-470-L16F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0J6 Headland AL at 5:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 4,200 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from DHN, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 N7202E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.