Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182Q near Nahunta, GA — 2025-06-26

Investigation ongoingERA25LA242
Sign in to save
Date
2025-06-26
Location
Nahunta, GA, USA
Airport
4J1
Aircraft
CESSNA 182Q
Registration
N4953N
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On June 26, 2025, at about 09:30 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N4953N, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Nahunta, Georgia. The private pilot was uninjured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the airplane had just undergone extensive maintenance in Sylacauga, Alabama, and he was planning to take the airplane to the W H 'Bud' Barron Airport (DBN), Dublin, Georgia. The pilot stopped at the Brantley County Airport (4J1), Nahunta, Georgia, on June 24, 2025, and the airplane remained parked until the day of the accident. The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection followed by a normal start of the engine. He allowed the engine to warm up and performed a magneto drop and propeller governor check. Shortly thereafter, a fire suddenly came up from the floor around the rudder pedals. The pilot exited the airplane and unsuccessfully attempted to extinguish the fire with a handheld fire extinguisher. The fire consumed most of the fuselage and the right wing, and the left wing was thermally damaged at the wing root. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Fire/smoke (non-impact) · Standing-engine(s) start-up
View NTSB preliminary report

Related mishaps