Amateur-built 182G-460 accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, May 18, 1997
On May 18, 1997 at about 8:30 pm local time, a amateur-built 182G-460, registered N3182S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate preflight planning/preparation, by failure to survey the takeoff area, and his delay in aborting the takeoff. Upsloping terrain and high vegetation in the takeoff area were related factors.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1997 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 182G-460
- Registration
- N3182S · registry record · serial 18255682
- 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 he failed to survey the takeoff area before the flight. During the takeoff ground roll, the airplane would not reach the takeoff airspeed due to upsloping terrain and 2 foot tall grass. The pilot intentionally ground looped the airplane to avoid a collision with trees ahead. The airplane came to rest with damage to the landing gear, right wing, fuselage, propeller, and tail section.
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
- Flight time: 1,468 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,344 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,247 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 13, 1997; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R-6B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SC10 Chesnee SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from GSP, 22 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.