- Date
- December 16, 1991, 05:40 local (12:40 UTC)
- Place
- Santa Teresa, NM
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Unknown
- Aircraft
- N5530BCessna 182
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report April 23, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19911216059059A
- Case key
- 18347
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 failure to maintain control. Factors were the dark night, pilot's apprehension, pilot's lack of instrument experience, spatial disorientation, poor instrument location, visual perception and inadequate cockpit lighting.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During a dark night flight the pilot lost control of the airplane. The pilot departed from an uncontrolled airport from a runway that placed the initial climb and cruise over dark desert terrain. A relative of the pilot stated that the pilot did not like night flying and considered such flying unsafe in the single engine airplane. Several pilots, who had previously flown the airplane, reported that the airplane was very difficult to fly at night because of the location of the attitude indicator and the cockpit lights. Witnesses indicated that the pilot had completed several night takeoffs and landings the night before this flight; however, the pilot's logbook showed .4 hour of night time logged during the last 18 months previous to this flight. Impact occurred inverted right wing tip first and the wreckage path was 245 feet long. No mechanical malfunctions were discovered. Toxicological tests revealed a 17% saturation of carbon monoxide from an unknown source.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5530B
- Reported as
- Cessna 182
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 33530
- Engine
- Continental O-470-KCL, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Marcel Beuden
- Registered owner
- Marcel Beuden
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- 5T6 · Santa Teresa, NM
- Destination
- TUS · Tucson, AZ
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 100 in this make and model · 250 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 350° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,300 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ELP, 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.