Cessna 182J accident near Athol, Idaho, July 5, 2003
On July 5, 2003 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N3367F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Athol, Idaho. 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 visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of one of the number five connecting rod cap bolts during cruise flight due to the associated number five rod cap bolt nut being insufficiently torqued at the last major overhaul. Factors include a culvert alongside the road where the pilot found it necessary to execute his emergency landing and the restriction of the pilot's forward vision due to a film of oil on the windshield.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2003 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Athol, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N3367F · no longer on the register · serial 18257367
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, the pilot heard a loud clank, and then saw the oil filler door on the nose cowl pop open. Immediately thereafter, the engine lost a significant amount of power, and the windshield began to be covered with a film of oil. The pilot therefore elected to make an emergency landing on a nearby road, and although the initial touchdown was successful, the oil coated windshield made it impossible for the pilot to seeing where he was going. Ultimately the aircraft departed the side of the road and impacted a culvert, whereupon the nose wheel strut collapsed. It was ultimately determined that the number five connecting rod cap bolt failed in overload after its retaining nut backed off to a point where it was retained by only two threads. Further examination of the nut and cotter pin revealed that the cotter pin retaining the rod bolt nut had experienced fatigue crack propagation failure in two location. It was determined that both cracks initiated at locations were the insufficiently torqued connecting rod cap bolt nut had vibrated against the cotter pin surface.
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: 461 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 3, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 19, 2003; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COE Coeur D' Alene ID at 8:45 pm
- Destination: COE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.