Introduction
On August 12, 2025, about 1330 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna TR182 airplane, registration N619MW, was substantially damaged during an accident near San Diego, California. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was being operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.
Incident Details
The pilot reported that shortly after reaching the top of his climb, he noticed the airplane was not accelerating. He canceled his instrument flight plan and decided to return to Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport (MYF) in San Diego, where he had departed moments earlier. During the descent, the landing gear was lowered, but there was no positive gear-down indication. The pilot declared an emergency with air traffic control and contacted the tower at MYF. He performed two low-pass fly-bys, during which the tower controller noted that the nose landing gear was extended while the main landing gear remained retracted. The pilot made multiple attempts to lower the landing gear, including using the emergency gear extension handle, but without success. During the subsequent landing, the airplane sustained substantial damage to the left horizontal stabilizer.
Post-Accident Examination
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), local mechanics discovered that the airplane’s hydraulic system was devoid of hydraulic fluid. Additionally, they found that the landing gear down position hydraulic fluid pressure hose had failed at the swedge near the fitting end. The wreckage was relocated to a secure facility for further examination.