Cessna TR182 accident near Moxee City, Washington, June 3, 1992
On June 3, 1992 at about 2:25 pm local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N736JG, was destroyed in an accident near Moxee City, Washington. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S INADVERTENTLY ALLOWING THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL. A FACTOR CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: RISING TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1992 · about 2:25 pm local time
- Place
- Moxee City, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N736JG · no longer on the register · serial R18200733
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED FLYING INTO A DRAW BY A WITNESS WHO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET BELOW THE CRESTLINE INTO WHICH THE NORTH/SOUTH DRAW TERMINATED. SHE REPORTED LOOKING DOWN AND SEEING THE TOPS OF THE AIRCRAFT'S WINGS AND THEN, DURING THE AIRCRAFT'S TURN ACROSS THE DRAW, SHE REPORTED THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY DROPPING JUST BEFORE GROUND IMPACT. THE WRECKAGE DISTRIBUTION INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND LEFT WINGTIP FIRST FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE, AND FINALLY CAME TO REST BEARING 050 DEGREES MAGNETIC AND 90 FEET BEYOND THE FIRST IMPACT. THE TERRAIN SLOPED UPWARDS AT A +16 DEGREE GRADIENT IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,517 hours in all; 185 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 4,468 as pilot in command; 1,378 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,937 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 27, 1992; 82 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: RLD Richland WA at 1:30 pm
- Destination: S98
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from YKM, 14 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.