Cessna 182E accident near Eugene, Oregon, July 31, 2021
On July 31, 2021 at about 5:07 pm local time, a 1962 Cessna 182E, registered N3186Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Eugene, Oregon (Mahlon Sweet Fld 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
Loss of directional control due to damage to the nosewheel strut that was sustained during a previous landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2021 · about 5:07 pm local time
- Place
- Eugene, Oregon · Mahlon Sweet Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E, built 1962 · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N3186Y · registry record · serial 18254186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the airplane’s nosewheel touched the ground, the airplane veered aggressively to the right then left. The pilot applied corrective control inputs, but the airplane departed the runway, tipped onto the left wing, and spun around. The airplane’s nosewheel had been modified in accordance with a supplemental type certificate, which raised the nose of the airplane by 4 inches. The modified geometry resulted in the airplane being more susceptible to control difficulties during landing, unless a soft field landing technique was used. The pilot stated that the landing was normal, and there was no damage to the runway surface at the touchdown point to suggest otherwise. However, he stated that the airplane swerved aggressively on the previous landing earlier in the day during high gusting wind conditions. Examination of the airplane did not reveal any anomalies with the steering system; however, there was damage to the firewall and nosewheel strut that indicated the nosewheel had struck the ground hard. Based on the pilot’s report that the airplane swerved aggressively during a landing earlier in the day, it is likely that the airplane was damaged during that landing, which caused the loss of control during the accident landing.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during prior to flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 757 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,857.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 2021; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Texas Skyways O-520 F/TS (piston); 2,087 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KDLS The Dalles OR at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R/, 8,009 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft; scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 am from KEUG
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEUG 311654Z 23004KT 10SM SCT140 BKN180 BKN220 24/14 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP163 T02390144=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 22, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Airframe Logbook Excerpts | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Damage Assessment Report | PDF, 23 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photos Provided by Keug Airport Operations | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.