NTSB BFO90DIG02 — 1990-08-01 · FREDERICK, Maryland, United States

Current FAA registration · N2891F

Make / Model: CESSNA 182J
Year of manufacture: 1966 · 24 years old at event
Engine: CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)
Seats / Engines: 4 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date: 19660319
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A2F1EB

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N2891F Cessna 182J Minor

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ASSURE THAT THE MAGNETO (IGNITION) SWITCH WAS IN THE PROPER POSITION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE MAGNETO SWITCH, WHICH ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED, THOUGH THE SWITCH WAS NOT IN THE 'OFF' POSITION.

Factual narrative

THE PLT STATED THE STARTER WOULD NO ROTATE THE ENGINE PAST THE FIRST POWER STROKE. HE DEPLANED & THE PASSENGER STAYED ABOARD. THE PLT STATED THAT THE MAG SWITCH, MASTER SWITCH, AND MIXTURE COUNTROL WERE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. HE ALSO REPORTED THE THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE POSITION & THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE MAG SWITCH. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE ENGINE PAST THE COMPRESSION STROKE BY TURNING THE PROPELLER. AS HE ROTATED THE PROPELLER, THE ENGINE STARTED. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, SHE PANICKED AND PROBABLY ADVANCED THE THROTTLE. THE ACFT THEN BEGAN MOVING & COLLIDED WITH TWO PARKED CARS. AN EXAM REVEALED THE IGNITION (MAG) KEY COULD BE REMOVED WITH THE MAG SWITCH IN ANY POSITION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_BFO90DIG02.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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