# NTSB DEN90FA002: Cessna 182A, N2155G, Nixon, NV, October 2, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: October 2, 1989, 05:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place: Nixon, NV
- Coordinates: 39.890422, -119.279739 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.8904&lon=-119.2797&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report February 15, 1991
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17805
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN90FA002
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17805/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN90FA002

## Probable cause

CONTINUED FLIGHT BY THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION.   INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT, AND THE WEATHER AND LIGHT CONDITIONS AT EARLY DAWN WERE FACTORS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - preflight planning/preparation - inadequate, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - light condition - dawn (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, cruise - normal
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - high terrain

## Analysis

AT ABOUT 0430 PDT, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT DEPD CAMERON PARK, CA, ON A FLT TO ELKO, NV, WHERE HE WAS TO RPRT TO WORK BETWEEN 0700 & 0730. WHILE EN ROUTE, THE ACFT CRASHED ON NEARLY LEVEL TERRAIN, NEAR THE BASE OF A MTN, AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 4800'. IMPACT OCCURRED AT DAWN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ACFT CRASHED AT HIGH SPEED, WHILE IN A LEFT WING LOW, NOSE LOW ATTITUDE. A WX STUDY SHOWED CLOUDS EXISTED IN THE AREA FROM 6000' TO 15,000' MSL WITH WX CELLS MOVING FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. APRX 35 MI WEST-SOUTHWEST AT RENO (ELEV 4412'), THE WX WAS (IN PART) 1000' SCATTERED, 3200' OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 8 MI, WIND FROM 290 DEG AT 6 KTS. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND. RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT JUST BEFORE IMPACT, THE ACFT'S ALTITUDE VARIED FROM 12,500' TO 8,300' MSL, WITH A DESCENT RATE OF UP TO 2900'/MIN. NO RECORD OF A WX BRIEFING WAS FOUND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N2155G](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2155G-2017-06-30), registration cancelled 2017-06-30, S/N 51455, built 1958 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 182A
- Registry model: [Cessna 182A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182a) (registry code 2072704) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 51455
- Engines: CONTINENTAL O-470-L 230 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Ables, Steven D.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, July 14, 1989
- Departed: 061, CAMERON PARK, CA
- Destination: EKO, ELKO, NV

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 41; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 305 total, 146 in this make and model, 268 as pilot in command, 28 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Dawn
- Wind: 290° at 6 knots
- Temperature: 45 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observed at: RNO, 35 nm away

## 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 19891002038649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19891002038649A), Oct 2, 1989: Cessna STC182, Nixon, NV, Destroyed, 1 fatal. Indicates VFR pilot flew into area of clouds and turbulence at night,lost control and impacted ground at high speed

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.