Cessna 182G accident near Lake Wales, Florida, April 16, 1982
On April 16, 1982 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182G, registered N3212S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Wales, Florida (Lake Wales airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1982 · about 3:30 pm local time · cases in 1982
- Place
- Lake Wales, Florida · Lake Wales · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182G · all 182Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3212S · registry record · serial 18255712
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND TO POWER INCREASES AND REMAINED AT IDLE SPEED. THE PILOT SWERVED AROUND A BUILDING AND DOVE THE AIRCRAFT UNDER WIRES FINALLY COMING TO REST IN A DITCH. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM GASCOLATOR REVEALED THAT IT WAS PARTIALLY FILLED WITH WATER AND DIRT. THE CARBURETOR BOWL SHOWED SIGNS OF THE CORROSIVE EFFECTS AND SEDIMENTS NORMALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THE ACCUMULATION OF WATER.
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: student
- Flight time: 500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,542 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 25 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: Kissimmee FL at 10:07 am
- Destination: Lake Wales FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 178°F (81°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from LAL, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N3212S on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 182 Skylane 11,834 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-R 107 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Lake Wales Municipal · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 985 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,708 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/MIA82DA097.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.