# Incident 20100521036549I: Cessna 172M, Las Vegas, NV, May 21, 2010

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 21, 2010, 18:10 local time
- Place: Las Vegas, NV
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1750° N, 115.1372° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Las Vegas, NV, within about 7 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1750&lon=-115.1372&mi=10
- Aircraft: N61867 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 6,500 total, 500 in this make and model, 40 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100521036549I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE EVENT OCCURRED ON MAY 21, 2010 AT APPROX. 18:10 LOCAL TIME. ATC NOTICED N61867 BELOW HIS ASSIGNED ALTITUDE, SO ATC ISSUED THE LAS ALTIMETER SETTING AND ADVISED THE AIRCRAFT TO "MAINTAIN ONE ZERO THOUSAND". N61867 ADVISED HE WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB DUE TO A STRONG DOWNDRAFT THAT WAS FORCING HIM DOWN FASTER THAN HE COULD CLIMB. THE PILOT ADVISED HE HAD TERRAIN IN SIGHT, THEN ATC AGAIN ASKED AND VERIFIED TERRAIN IN SIGHT. NEXT, ATC ISSUED A LOW ALTITUDE ALERT TO N61867. THE MINIMUM IFR ALTITUDE IN THE AREA OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS 10,000 FEET. THE CONTROLLER AT THE SECTOR CHECKED A COUPLE OF TIMES WITH N61867 TO SEE IF HE COULD CLIMB BACK UP TO AND MAINTAIN 10,000 FEET. AFTER FOUR (4) MINUTES, N61867 WAS FINALLY ABLE TO MAINTAIN ASSIGNED ALTITUDE AGAIN. THE LOWEST POINT THAT N61867 REACHED WAS 1300 FEET BELOW ASSIGNED ALTITUDE (8,700 FEET).

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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