Cessna 182P accident near La Belle, Florida, November 20, 1982
On November 20, 1982 at about 1:34 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N4678K, was substantially damaged in an accident near La Belle, Florida (La Belle airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1982 · about 1:34 pm local time
- Place
- La Belle, Florida · La Belle
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N4678K · registry record · serial 63679
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER EXPERIENCING AN ENG FAILURE THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON THE ARPT. THE ACFT OVERRAN THE RWY & COLLIDED WITH A DITCH CAUSING THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THE #3 CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE ROCKER SHAFT HOUSING FAILED DUE TO HIGH-CYCLE LOW-STRESS FATIGUE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,040 hours in all; 1,400 in this make and model; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,353 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,112 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Hollywood FL at 7:10 am
- Destination: C St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 3,810 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 156°F (69°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:40 am from FMY, 30 miles away
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.