Cessna 182Q accident near Tampa, Florida, January 16, 1988
On January 16, 1988 at about 6:22 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N5244N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Van Denberg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- January 16, 1988 · about 6:22 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Van Denberg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N5244N · registry record · serial 18267594
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY, TRAVELLED THROUGH A RETENTION POND, NOSED OVER & CAME TO REST. ACCORDING TO A PLT WHO LANDED SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT, HE HAD HIS HANDS FULL LANDING ON THE SAME RWY DUE TO A 'STIFF CROSSWIND'. THE PILOT OF N5244N SAID THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. A WEATHER OBSERVATION TAKEN AT AN ARPT APRX 10 NMI NORTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE APRX 31 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT, INDICATED WINDS TO BE FROM 080 DEGREES AT 13 KNTS WITH GUSTS TO 21 KNTS. ACCORDING TO AN OFF-DUTY POLICE OFFICER WHO RESPONDED TO THE SCENE, THE PLT SMELLED OF ALCOHOL & HAD DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING QUESTIONS THAT WERE BEING ASKED. THE PLT LEFT THE SCENE IMMEDIATELY & WAS NOT LOCATED IN TIME TO REQUEST THAT HE SUBMIT TO TOXICOLOGICAL TESTING.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,999 hours in all; 396 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 1,977 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 426 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 5, 1987; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,960 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,260 ft by 65 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 13 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from TPA, 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.
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.