Cessna 182C accident near St. Petersburg, Florida, November 20, 1998
On November 20, 1998 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182C, registered N8620T, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Petersburg, Florida (Albert Whitted airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot misjudged the flare, resulting in a hard land and subsequent damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1998 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- St. Petersburg, Florida · Albert Whitted · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182C · all 182Cs on the register
- Registration
- N8620T · no longer on the register · serial 52520
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was under a special VFR request en route to St. Petersburg. According to the pilot, as he began to flare the airplane the plane dropped as if a strong downdraft hit. The reported winds and visibility at the airport about the time of the accident was reported as: winds from 140 degrees at 5 knots, and the visibility was 1 3/4 sm, with haze. The accident was not reported immediately after it had occurred, about 1 week later an FAA inspector was doing a surveillance at an FBO (fixed base operator) and noticed N8620T with it's nose gear 'severely bent aft.' When the inspector examined the wreckage it was determined that the airplane had sustained substantial damage. According to the FAA's report, '[the] pilot had a hard landing causing substantial damage to the aircraft structure.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 703 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 703 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,336 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1998; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-370L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48X Palmetto FL at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 2,864 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from SPG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.