Cessna 180K accident near Madison, Mississippi, March 19, 1993
On March 19, 1993 at about 1:34 am local time, a Cessna 180K, registered N66388, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Mississippi (Bruce Campbell Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INDUCTION AIR CONTROL/SYSTEM PARTIAL FAILURE, INDUCTION AIR CONTROL/SYSTEM LEAK, AND THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1993 · about 1:34 am local time
- Place
- Madison, Mississippi · Bruce Campbell Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180K · all 180Ks on the register
- Registration
- N66388 · no longer on the register · serial 18052937
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER LEVELING OFF AT 2,300 FEET NEAR THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, THE ENGINE QUIT. ATTEMPTS BY THE PILOT TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. DURING THE EMERGENCY DESCENT FOR THE FORCED LANDING OVER A WOODED AREA, THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES THEN THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY AN FAA CERTIFICATED MECHANIC REVEALED THAT A SECTION OF THE INTAKE GASKET AT THE NO. 3 CYLINDER ASSEMBLY WAS MISSING. THIS RESULTED IN UNMETERED AIR ENTERING THE CYLINDER RESULTING IN A LEAN FUEL/AIR MIXTURE. THE NO. 3 CYLINDER WAS REMOVED AND THE TOP COMPRESSION RING AND OIL CONTROL RING IN THE PISTON LAND COULD NOT BE MOVED. ADDITIONALLY, THE TOP OF THE PISTON AND CYLINDER CORROBORATED THE LEAN MIXTURE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT SEVERAL MONTHS EARLIER, THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE (CHT) WAS HIGH BUT IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE CHT PROBE WAS BROKEN. THE CHT PROBE IS INSTALLED ON THE NO. 3 CYLINDER. REVIEW OF THE ENGINE LOGBOOK REVEALED THAT ON DECEMBER 5, 1991, THE INTAKE GASKETS WERE REPLACED.
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: 6,150 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 6,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,620 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 1993; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dixie Bowl Lanes, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DFW Dallas TX at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from JAN, 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.