Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 182F near Williamsburg, VA — 2025-09-22

Investigation ongoingERA25LA362
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Date
2025-09-22
Location
Williamsburg, VA, USA
Aircraft
CESSNA 182F
Registration
N3192U
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
Minor
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 September 22, 2025, about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182F, N3192U, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Williamsburg, Virginia. The airline transport pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that, shortly after departure from Waltrip Williamsburg Executive Airport (JGG), Williamsburg, Virginia while operating at 2,000 ft mean sea level, the engine “stumbled” and lost all power. According to the pilot, he heard what sounded like a “crunching noise” that coincided with the loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to return to the departure airport but noted that the airplane was too far away to reach the runway. The pilot attempts to restore engine power were unsuccessful, and he performed a forced landing to a field. The airplane touched down in a recently harvested corn field. The pilot was unable to stop the airplane before it overran the field, impacted a tree and flipped over. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage; the right wing was impact separated mid span and there were numerous buckles in the airframe. The pilot reported that the airplane departed JGG with about 60 gallons of aviation fuel on board. Initial examination of the engine at the accident site by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the propeller could be rotated partially but was unable to complete a full 360° of rotation. There was oil on the underside of the engine compartment, but no oil was observed on the belly of the fuselage, and there was no visible damage to the engine. The airplane was retained for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Loss of engine power (total) · Enroute
  • Engine Failure Enroute
View NTSB preliminary report

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