Cessna TR182 accident near Owenton, Kentucky, December 9, 1997
On December 9, 1997 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N4701S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Owenton, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight/inflight decision and VFR flight in instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing was a low ceiling.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1997 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Owenton, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N4701S · registry record · serial 798509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated pilot stated that he obtained a weather briefing from the Weather Channel and a DUAT service. The weather forecast called for marginal visual flight rules conditions. About 100 miles from his destination, the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions. He performed a precautionary landing to an uneven field. During the landing, the landing gears collapsed; and the propeller and left wing were damaged.
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: 428 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-L3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HPT Hampton IA at 7:00 pm
- Destination: IOB Mt. Sterling KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:06 pm from CVG, 40 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.