Cessna 182P accident near Spring Hill, Florida, March 16, 2004
On March 16, 2004 at about 1:10 am local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N8148G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spring Hill, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non instrument rated pilot's decision to attempt VFR flight into IMC conditions resulting in an in-flight loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2004 · about 1:10 am local time
- Place
- Spring Hill, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N8148G · no longer on the register · serial 18263333
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated pilot departed VFR from Brooksville, Florida, enroute to Kissimmee Gateway Airport, Orlando, Florida. No flight plan was filed and it was not determined if the pilot received a weather briefing. The weather at Brooksville 7 minutes before the pilot departed was, few clouds at 600 feet, 2,000 feet overcast, light rain, and 9 miles visibility. A witness, who lived about 1/4 mile from the crash site, heard the airplane fly over his house. The witness stated the airplane sounded like it was real low, flying in an easterly direction at full throttle. Less than a minute later, the witness heard a "thud" when the airplane hit the ground. The witness called the 911, and departed his home to search for the airplane. The witness stated it was very dark, cloudy, and there was initially a light rain which became a heavy rain. The witness located the crash site about an hour after the accident. A special weather observation was taken at Brooksville 3 minutes after the accident. There were few clouds at 700 feet, overcast clouds at 2,000 feet, visibility 2 miles, with heavy rain, and mist. Examination of the crash site revealed the airplane collided with trees and the ground in a descending right turn.The crash debris line was on a heading of 170-degrees magnetic and 140 feet long. No anomalies were found with the airframe, engine assembly or accessories.
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: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 324 hours in all; 46 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,827.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2003; 248 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBKV Brooksville FL
- Destination: KISM Kissimme FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,000 ft; a few clouds at 700 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 1:13 am from KBKV, 5 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 N8148G 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.