Cessna 182F accident near Pell City, Alabama, March 23, 2002
On March 23, 2002 at about 11:22 pm local time, a Cessna 182F, registered N3486U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pell City, Alabama (St. Clair County airport). It was an other work-use 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 failure to properly recover from a bounced landing resulting in exceedance of the design limits and collapse of the nose gear assembly. A factor in the accident was the pilot's decision to continue flight with a known equipment deficiency.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 2002 · about 11:22 pm local time
- Place
- Pell City, Alabama · St. Clair County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3486U · registry record · serial 18254886
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the fourth parachute drop flight of the day for the pilot and aircraft, the pilot detected a reduction in elevator control authority on takeoff. He elected to continue the takeoff and climbed to 3,500 feet agl, where he released the two parachutists. On return to the airport, he used power to control his flare, but landed hard and began a porpoise maneuver. On the third touchdown, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft ran off the left side of the runway, sustaining substantial damage. Post accident inspection of the flight control system by FAA inspectors revealed no flight control interference, malfunction, or damage.
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
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 935 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,578 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 2002; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PLR Pell City AL
- Destination: PLR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 5,002 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from BHM, 24 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.
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.