Cessna 182RG accident near Ft. Madison, Iowa, February 25, 1989
On February 25, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N4314R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Madison, Iowa (Ft. Madison airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ELECTRICAL WIRING SHORT THAT CAUSED AN IN FLIGHT FIRE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 25, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Madison, Iowa · Ft. Madison · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N4314R · no longer on the register · serial R182000589
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AND DURING INITIAL CLIMB, SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE DEFROSTER VENT ON THE PAX SIDE. TURNING DOWNWIND, THE SMOKE BECAME WORSE AND ERUPTED INTO A FIRE. THE SMOKE, ALONG WITH THE CHARRED WINDSIELD, LIMITED VISIBILITY TO THE POINT THAT THE PAX DOOR AND THE PILOT'S WINDOW WERE OPENED BY THE CREW. THIS CAUSED THE FIRE TO BURN MORE INTENSELY. THE PLT EXISTED THE ACFT AFTER LANDING AND COMING TO A FULL STOP. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE LOCAL FBO. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE HOT WIRE FROM THE AMPERAGE METER WAS RUBBING ON THE FUEL PRESSURE INDICATOR LINE, HAD SHORTED AND BURNED THROUGH, CAUSING THE INFLIGHT FIRE IN THE COCKPIT. THE ACFT WAS OVERDUE ANNUAL AND HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 234 HRS OF FLIGHT TIME SINCE THE LAST INSPECTION.
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: 121 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 74 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 927 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 23, 1987; 234 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3CD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: K27 Ft. Madison IA at 8:25 pm
- Destination: 3DW Springfield MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from BRL, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N4314R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.