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20130414006229A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Cessna 182D · Smith Valley, NV · April 14, 2013

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 14, 2013 · 21:00 local
Place
Smith Valley, NV
Airport
Farias Wheel
Phase of flight
Descent
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N9078X
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR13FA201
Reported as
Cessna 182D
Reported engine
Continental O-470 series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
1,364 total
N9078XRegistration cancelled Sep 5, 2013 · Cessna 182DS/N 18253478 · Built 1961Airframe modelCessna 182DEngine modelContinental O-470 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On April 14, 2013, about 2050 pacific daylight time (PDT), a Cessna 182D, N9078X, impacted

Mountainous terrain near wellington, Nevada. The airplane was owned by a private party, and

Operated by the pilot as a cross-country flight under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations

(CFR) part 91. The commercial pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries; the airplane was destroyed

By impact forces and post-crash fire. The cross-country personal flight departed north las vegas,

Nevada, about 1800, with a planned destination of minden, Nevada. Visual night meteorological

Conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The airplane impacted mountainous terrain approximately 18 nautical miles southeast of the flight's

Intended destination. The wreckage was located on the southeast slope approximately 200 feet below

The top of the ridgeline, at an elevation of about 8,570 feet mean sea level (MSL). All major structural

Components of the airplane were located within the debris field.

The airplane was recovered on April 24, 2013, for further examination.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 14, 2013, ABOUT 2050 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME (PDT), A CESSNA 182D, N9078X, IMPACTED

MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEAR WELLINGTON, NEVADA. THE AIRPLANE WAS OWNED BY A PRIVATE PARTY, AND

OPERATED BY THE PILOT AS A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS

(CFR) PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND PASSENGER SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES; THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED

BY IMPACT FORCES AND POST-CRASH FIRE. THE CROSS-COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED NORTH LAS VEGAS,

NEVADA, ABOUT 1800, WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF MINDEN, NEVADA. VISUAL NIGHT METEOROLOGICAL

CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 18 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTHEAST OF THE FLIGHT'S

INTENDED DESTINATION. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON THE SOUTHEAST SLOPE APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET BELOW

THE TOP OF THE RIDGELINE, AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 8,570 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). ALL MAJOR STRUCTURAL

COMPONENTS OF THE AIRPLANE WERE LOCATED WITHIN THE DEBRIS FIELD.

THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED ON APRIL 24, 2013, FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR13FA201Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportWellington, NVThe pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from mountainous terrain during a night, visual descent to the destination airport, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain.Apr 15, 2013 · Destroyed

Other reports on N9078X · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19870803045059IForced Landing · Reno, NVFuel exhausted in pattern after a short flight. Small fuel leak in left tank. Pilot estimated fuel on preflight.Aug 3, 1987