NTSB Factual Report

On August 7, 2002, about 2045 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, N95915, was substantially damaged while landing at Cincinnati Municipal Airport /Lunken Field (LUK), Cincinnati, Ohio. The certificated private pilot and three passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that originated from Madison County Airport, London, Ohio. No flight plan had been filed for the personal flight that was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, the return flight to Lunken was uneventful. When the airplane was on the downwind leg for runway 3R, the local controller requested him to perform a "short approach." The pilot added that he was attempting to touchdown on the approach end of the runway. In addition, the pilot stated:

"...I normally land on three right and turn off onto a taxiway about 1,000 feet from the threshold. It was dusk and I misjudged the threshold and hit the end of the pavement. The front tire blew out on the pavement, and when the main gear hit, the nose wheel was snapped down and bent to the left side of the fuselage...."

After touchdown, the airplane continued down the runway, and turned onto taxiway BRAVO where it stopped.

During a follow-up telephone interview, the pilot reported that he was not accustomed to flying the airplane with a load of 3 passengers. When asked why he was trying to land on the approach end of the runway, the pilot explained that he could exit on the reverse high speed taxiway, and it would shorten the distance he taxied to his hanger.

The accident was observed by an off duty inspector from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), who reported that main landing gear marks were visible in the grass about 25 feet prior to the lip of the runway. The nosewheel mark was visible in the grass about 10 feet prior to the lip of the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed the nose wheel was blown and deflated, and popped rivets, along with wrinkled and buckled skin was visible on the left side of the fuselage near the firewall.

According to data from the FAA, runway 3R was 6,101 feet long, 150 feet wide, and had an asphalt surface. About 1,000 feet from the approach end of runway 3R, there was a reverse high speed taxiway on the left side. This taxiway led to the hangers located on the southwest side the field, which was where the pilot parked his airplane. The next taxiway was 4,500 feet down the runway, and led to the northwest side of the airport.

The 2054 weather observation at LUK reported the winds from 070 degrees at 4 knots.

The pilot did not possess a valid airman medical certificate at the time of the accident. The certificated private pilot who occupied the right front seat, reported that he did not touch the flight controls. The pilot reported that he had not made an arrangement with the right seat pilot to act as pilot-in-command (PIC) for the flight, and admitted that he was the PIC for the flight.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's misjudgment of distance which resulted in the airplane landing short of the runway.