Cessna 182P accident near Block Island, Rhode Island, April 13, 1983
On April 13, 1983 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N575PM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Block Island, Rhode Island (Block Island airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 1983 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Block Island, Rhode Island · Block Island
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N575PM · registry record · serial 18264045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY DURING LANDING AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. THE APPROACH TO BLOCK ISLAND WAS NORMAL AND THELANDING WAS MADE ABOUT ONE THIRD DOWN THE RUNWAY. ON TOUCHDOWN, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE ACFT VEERED TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPLIED RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKE WITH A SMALL AMOUNT OF POWER TO REALIGNTHE PLANE TO THE CENTERLINE. THE ACFT THEN VEERED TO THE RIGHT, WENT OFF THE RWY AND HIT A 4 FOOT DITCH, 20 FEET AWAY FROM THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND THE NOSE GEAR WERE SHEARED OFF. ALL SWITCHES WERE CUT AND THE OCCUPANTS DEPLANED UNINJURED.
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: 214 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 63 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Northampton MA at 4:45 pm
- Destination: BID Block Island RI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 2,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots, gusting 6
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.