Cessna 182Q accident near Butler, Alabama, August 18, 1997
On August 18, 1997 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N86TC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Butler, Alabama (Butler-Choctaw CO. airport). 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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during a landing attempt after adding power to recover from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1997 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Butler, Alabama · Butler-Choctaw CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N86TC · no longer on the register · serial 18267381
- 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 final approach with the flaps fully extended and under no wind conditions, the airplane floated then touched down and bounced. The airplane then touched down on the right main landing gear and began drifting off the left side of the runway. He momentarily applied power and right rudder but the airplane continued off the runway. He then reduced power, applied the brakes but was unable to stop the airplane before it collided with cleared brush off the runway and nosed over. Examination of the runway revealed a mark made from the right main landing gear tire to the left of the runway centerline. The mark continued in an arc to the left and just before the left side of the runway, an additional mark from the left main landing gear is noted. Marks from both main landing gear tires was noted in the grass.
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: 142 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 99 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,668 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 11, 1997; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M34 Gilbertsville KY at 11:00 am
- Destination: 09A
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 4,080 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KME, 33 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.