- Date
- June 23, 2023, 08:17 local (14:17 UTC)
- Place
- Gunnison, CO
- Injuries
- 4 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N3289SCessna 182G
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aerodynamic stall/spin
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20230623006859A
- Case key
- 192455
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper decision to fly into an area of unsuitable terrain which the airplane was unable to exit, resulting in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent impact with terrain.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that she had been checked out in the accident airplane that morning and this was only her second flight in the same type. She stated that she and three passengers were sightseeing in a canyon that began to narrow. As the flight progressed, she was unable to climb out of the canyon and stalled the airplane. During the stall recovery, the airplane impacted trees and terrain; a postcrash fire ensued and the airplane was destroyed. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operations.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3289S
- Reported as
- Cessna 182G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 18255789
- Built
- 1964
- Airframe hours
- 10,619
- Engine
- Continental O-470-R, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Double Lazy H LLC
- Registered owner
- Double Lazy H LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 22, 2022
- Equipment
- Unknown
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 21
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 5, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 2 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 54 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- KGUC, 26 nm away
- METAR
- KGUC 231456Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/M01 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP147 T01171011 58001
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 31, 2023, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 23.4 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.