Cessna 182R accident near Warwick, New York, February 9, 2003
On February 9, 2003 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182R, registered N3338R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warwick, New York (Warwick 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's inadequate compensation for winds, and his failure to maintain the proper descent rate. A factor in the accident was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 2003 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Warwick, New York · Warwick · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3338R · registry record · serial R18200339
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was on final approach to runway 21, a 2,150-foot-long, asphalt runway. The pilot reported he experienced a "sudden severe downdraft" just before touchdown and the airplane contacted the ground about 50 feet prior to the runway threshold. A portion of the nose gear separated, the propeller struck the ground, and the airplane slid about 100 feet, before it came to rest on the runway. Winds reported at an airport about 18 miles north-northeast of the accident site, were from 260 degrees at 12 knots, with 20-knot gusts.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 5, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,317 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 3, 2002; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4N1 West Milford NJ at 5:30 pm
- Destination: N72 Warwick NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21L, 2,150 ft by 28 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 12 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from SWF, 15 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.
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.