Cessna 182 accident near Falmouth, Kentucky, December 27, 2001
On December 27, 2001, a Cessna 182, registered N660DD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Falmouth, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather. A factor was the snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2001
- Place
- Falmouth, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N660DD · no longer on the register · serial 18266038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot filed an IFR flight plan and received a standard weather briefing, which included a forecast for light snow along the entire route of flight. The briefing also included an AIRMET for occasional moderate rime or mixed ice in clouds and precipitation from 6,000 to 12,000 feet msl, and a PIREP for light rime ice at 5,000 feet msl. About 20 minutes after departure, and cruising in IMC conditions at 5,000 feet for approximately 10 minutes, the pilot observed snow. Several minutes later, the engine lost all power, and the pilot then applied the carburetor heat as part of his restart checklist. The engine did not restart, and the pilot performed a forced landing to trees. FAA Advisory Circular AC 20-113 cautioned pilots of impact ice forming on intake screens and carburetors when flying in snow. The circular advised pilots to use carburetor heat as a preventative measure, rather than as a deicer. After the accident, an FAA inspector attended a test run of the accident engine. The inspector stated that the engine started with no difficulty and ran continuously.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 835 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 605 as pilot in command; 72 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 12, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,150 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2001; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LOU Louisville KY at 11:00 pm
- Destination: TZR Columbus OH
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 270° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.80 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from CVG, 25 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N660DD 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.