Cessna 182 accident near Thomasville, Pennsylvania, April 28, 1983
On April 28, 1983 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N21243, was substantially damaged in an accident near Thomasville, Pennsylvania (York airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 28, 1983 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Thomasville, Pennsylvania · York
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N21243 · no longer on the register · serial 18261511
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A POWER LOSS. SEVERAL WEEKS PRIOR TO THIS ACCIDENT THE ACFT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE. THE ACFT WAS EXAMINED AND 1 GALLON OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES. THE WATER WAS DRAINED AND THE FUEL FILTERS CHANGED AND THE ACFT WAS FLOWN BACK TO YORK. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT CHECKED WITH THE FBO MANAGER TO CONFIRM THAT THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS AND DID A COMPLETE PRE-FLT WITH ATTENTION TO THE FUEL SYS. VERY LITTLE WATER WAS FOUND IN THE TANK DRAINS OR ENGINE SUMP. THE ACFT WAS TAXIED FOR 20 MINUTES AND A RUN-UP PERFORMED WITH NO ENGINE ROUGHNESS. TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED AND AT 450 FEET AGL THE ENGINE STOPPED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE REGAINED POWER FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. WHEN A TURN WAS MADE THE ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A PLOWED FIELD AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 460 hours in all; 395 in this make and model; 385 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,637 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 20, 1982; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Thomasville PA at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.