Accident Details
On June 26, 2025, at about 09:30 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 182Q, registration N4953N, sustained substantial damage in a fire at Brantley County Airport (4J1) near Nahunta, Georgia. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, was uninjured. The flight was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Narrative of Events
The pilot reported that the airplane had recently undergone extensive maintenance in Sylacauga, Alabama, and he intended to fly it to W H 'Bud' Barron Airport (DBN) in Dublin, Georgia. He had stopped at Brantley County Airport on June 24, 2025, and the airplane remained parked there until the day of the accident. After performing a preflight inspection, the pilot started the engine normally, allowing it to warm up and conducting a magneto drop and propeller governor check. Shortly after these checks, a fire suddenly emerged from the floor area around the rudder pedals. The pilot exited the airplane and attempted to extinguish the fire with a handheld fire extinguisher, but was unsuccessful.
Aftermath
The fire consumed most of the fuselage and the right wing. The left wing sustained thermal damage at the wing root. The wreckage was retained for further examination.