Cessna 182 accident near Wildwood, New Jersey, August 8, 1988
On August 8, 1988 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N20722, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wildwood, New Jersey. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BUILDING AFTER IF EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION CAUSED BY OIL DILUTION AND LOW ENGINE COMPRESSION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1988 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Wildwood, New Jersey
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N20722 · no longer on the register · serial 18261155
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CESSNA 182 EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS AND MADE AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN A FIELD, STRIKING A BUILDING AND RECEIVING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED THE POWER LOSS WAS CAUSED BY FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,026 hours in all; 209 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 6,400 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 1987; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3B4 Eliot ME at 5:15 pm
- Destination: WWD Wildwood NJ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from M1V, 23 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.
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.