# NTSB CEN25FA047: Cessna 182T, N434CP, Drake, CO, November 23, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report - Date: November 23, 2024, 11:15 local (18:15 UTC) - Place: Drake, CO · North of Storm Mountain - Coordinates: 40.441487, -105.30918 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4415&lon=-105.3092&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal, 1 serious - Status: Completed, report February 11, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO, Textron Aviation, Lycoming Engines - NTSB case key (mKey): 195539 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25FA047 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195539/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195539 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25FA047 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in mountainous terrain. Contributing was mountain wave turbulence in the area. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 26 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Terrain: mountainous/hilly terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 329 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010/cases.md) - [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md) ## Analysis The purpose of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) flight was to conduct training and aerial photography for emergency response planning. According to ADS-B data for the flight, the airplane departed and flew to the area to be photographed. The airplane then made several north-to-south and east-to-west orbits over the area before turning east toward the departure airport. The airplane then turned to the north, made a left turn to the south followed almost immediately by a right turn to the northwest. The airplane’s flight track ended shortly after. The mission observer on board the airplane reported that, after the photography mission was completed, the pilot maneuvered the airplane over trees about 1,500 above ground level (agl) and heading toward higher terrain. The observer then heard the pilot say, “Oh [expletive].” The pilot lowered the airplane’s nose and started to turn the airplane. The observer stated that the airplane seemed to drop and that it probably encountered a downdraft. He heard the airplane hitting trees, and the next thing that he remembered was being on the ground. A CAP flight that landed after the accident airplane had taken off reported having experienced mountain wave turbulence in the same area that the accident airplane had been operating. The flight did not communicate this to the accident flight, and the CAP had not relayed this information to the accident airplane’s pilot. ## Factual narrative On November 23, 2024, about 1115 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182T airplane, N434CP, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Drake, Colorado. The flight crew consisted of the pilot, a mission observer, and a photographer. The pilot and photographer sustained fatal injuries, and the mission observer sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 federal public use training flight. The CAP conducted the flight to perform aerial photography of the area for use by the Red Cross for emergency response planning. The flight originated from the Northern Colorado Regional Airport (FNL), Loveland, Colorado, about 0930. The pilot was seated in the front left seat, the pilot-certificated mission observer (survivor) was seated in the right front seat, and the pilot-certificated photographer was seated in the right rear seat. According to ADS-B data for the flight, the airplane departed FNL and flew to the area to be photographed. The airplane then made several north-to-south and east-to-west orbits over the area before turning east toward FNL. The airplane then turned to the north, made a left turn to the south followed almost immediately by a right turn to the northwest. The airplane’s flight track ended shortly after. Figure 1. Screenshot of the ADS-B flight track with inset showing altitude and airspeed. (Source: FlightAware). The mission observer stated that the photography mission consisted of flying large circles over mountain roads and a valley. After completing the photography mission, the pilot flew the airplane to the south of the mission area. The observer stated that he thought that the pilot was returning to the FNL base. He stated that the pilot maneuvered the airplane over trees about 1,500 agl and heading toward higher terrain (a ridgeline). Within seconds, he heard the pilot say, “Oh [expletive].” The pilot lowered the airplane’s nose and started to turn. He stated that the airplane seemed to drop and that it probably encountered a downdraft. He heard the airplane hitting trees, and the next thing that he remembered was being on the ground. He tried to help the pilot and photographer and was worried about a fire. He said that the entire sequence happened within seconds. Because of the impact, his cell phone called 911 automatically and connected him to a dispatcher. He was rescued by helicopter, and he stated that the rescue helicopter’s flight nurse made a comment that the winds were swirling during the rescue. The mission observer stated that the airplane and engine were operating normally throughout the entire flight, and that there were normal communications between the pilot, mission observer, and CAP base. There were no radio or distress calls heard from the pilot. The Larimer County, Colorado, Coroner’s Office performed the pilot’s autopsy. According to the pilot’s autopsy report, her cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries, and her manner of deathwas an accident. Toxicology testing performed on the pilot’s specimens at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected Fluconazole in blood and liver. Fluconazole is an antifungal medication used to treat fungus infections and is acceptable for use by pilots. A High-Resolution Rapid Refresh model sounding for near the accident site at 1100 identified moderate turbulence between 12,000 and 13,000 ft mean sea level (msl). Within this layer, the wind remained consistent with directions from the southwest at speeds between 10 and 16 kts. Seven longline-disseminated pilot reports (PIREPs) were reported between 0900 and 1300 below flight level 200 and within 35 miles of the accident site, mostly from transport category airplanes reporting moderate turbulence. There were no Convective Significant Meteorological Information (SIGMET) advisories active for the area of the accident flight. The accident site was located on a steep slope in rough mountainous terrain, and the wreckage was about 75 ft downslope from a ridgeline. All sections of the airplane were found within the accident area. The fuselage had severe impact damage to the cabin and the engine compartments. The fuselage was lying upslope and was upright. Portions of the left and right wings were lying on the ground, adjacent to the cabin section of the fuselage. A portion of the right outboard wing was found wrapped around a tree, about 35 ft up and about 50 ft up-slope of the main wreckage. Tree branches in the accident area were found cut, consistent with contact with propeller blades. All three propeller blades had damage to their respective leading edges. Figure 2. Accident site. Due to the steep, rough terrain, onsite examinations were limited, and the wreckage was recovered to a secure facility for further detailed examinations of the airframe, flight controls, and engine. A followup examination of the wreckage confirmed flight control continuity. An examination of the airplane’s engine revealed no preaccident anomaly that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N434CP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N434CP), registered now, S/N 18282192, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182T - Registry model: [Cessna 182T](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182t) (registry code 2072703) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-ab1a5) (registry code 41808, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18282192 - Year built: 2009 - Airframe hours: 2174 - Engines: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 280 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Public aircraft - federal, Public use - Operator: Civil Air Patrol - Registered owner: Civil Air Patrol - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2024, 151 hours before - Departed: FNL, Fort Collins, CO - Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: fatal; commercial, private, flight instructor, remote; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; toxicology performed; flight hours: 5,350 total, 5,350 in this make and model, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 29.83 inHg - Icing: Unknown - Turbulence: Unknown - Observed at: KFNL, 13 nm away - METAR: KFNL 231756Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 09/M06 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP086 T00941061 10100 21011 58020 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20241123016819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241123016819A), Nov 23, 2024: Cessna 182T, Drake, CO, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Aircraft took off at 0908 MST from fnl - northern Colorado regional airport. Aircraft flew out to an area north of Drake, Colorado for an aerial photography… ## Docket (15 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 11, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195539. 21.5 MB in all. - Meteorology specialist's factual report (item 1, PDF, 18 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18255158&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WX_CEN25FA047_Specialists_Factual-Rel.pdf - Flight track (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 268 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19662009&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ADSB%20flight%20Track.jpg-Rel.pdf - ADS-B data table (item 3, XLSX, 3.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19639791&FileExtension=xlsx&FileName=ADSB%20Data%20Table%20CEN25FA047-Rel.xlsx - Airframe and engine examinations (item 4, PDF, 5 pages, 867 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19741947&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airframe%20and%20Engine%20Examination%20Notes%20CEN24FA047-Rel.pdf - Surviving pilot-rated passenger interview (item 5, PDF, 2 pages, 133 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19741359&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=R.%20Settergren%20Interview_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 6, PDF, 6 pages, 9.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19643193&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=R.%20Doll%20Statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Second FAA inspector statement (item 7, PDF, 2 pages, 144 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19643285&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=A.%20Sweed%20Interview_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum of record, FAA (item 8, PDF, 1 page, 41 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19687412&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Memorandum%20of%20Record,%20FAA-Rel.pdf - Accident photographs (item 9, PDF, 6 pages, 2.2 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19684711&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Photos-Rel.pdf - Airframe records extraction (item 10, PDF, 1 page, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19661468&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airframe%20Records%20Extraction_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Certification of party representative, cap (item 11, PDF, 1 page, 153 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19643684&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Certification%20of%20Party%20Representative%20CAP_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Certification of party representative, Lycoming engines (item 12, PDF, 1 page, 150 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19643442&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Certification%20of%20Party%20Representative,%20Lycoming%20Engines_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Certification of party representative, Textron aviation 1 (item 13, PDF, 1 page, 156 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19643694&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Certification%20of%20Party%20Representative,%20Textron%20Aviation%201_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Certification of party representative, Textron aviation 2 (item 14, PDF, 1 page, 151 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19643476&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Certification%20of%20party%20Representative,%20Textron%20Aviation%202_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA toxicology - pilot (item 15, PDF, 1 page, 153 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19538156&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Toxicology_Redacted-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.