# NTSB LAX08CA250: Cessna 182N, N92767, Big Creek, ID, July 26, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: July 26, 2008, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC) - Place: Big Creek, ID - Coordinates: 45.133056, -115.321945 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1331&lon=-115.3219&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 26, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Adminstration - NTSB case key (mKey): 68568 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX08CA250 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/68568/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX08CA250 ## Probable cause The airplane encountered a downdraft during the landing flare. Contributing to the accident was the high density altitude. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Wind: downdraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md?model=2072730), [All aircraft, 178 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034035/cases.md) - [Temp/humidity/pressure: high density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Not specified (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md?model=2072730), [All aircraft, 278 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: descent/approach/glide path](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained; cases with it: [Cessna 182N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md?model=2072730), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Other weather encounter](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400); cases with it: [Cessna 182N, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md?model=2072730), [All aircraft, 1,127 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/400/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182N, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=2072730), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot made a landing approach to a remote mountain turf runway. The airplane encountered a downdraft while on short final, which resulted in a sudden drop from about 15 feet, and subsequent hard landing. The landing bent the nose gear forward and damaged the firewall. The pilot made a field repair to hold the nose wheel in place by lashing the nose wheel strut back using rope and a come-along attached to the main landing gear. The pilot then proceeded to fly the airplane to an airport about 30 minutes away, where a mechanic assessed the damage and advised the pilot not to continue the flight. The pilot decided to continue the flight to his home base approximately 454 miles to the southwest. The elevation of the accident airport is 5,720 feet mean sea level (msl). The outside air temperature at the time of the accident was 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The calculated density altitude was 8,238 feet msl at the accident airport. ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that the airplane encountered a downdraft while on short final to runway 19 at Big Creek, Idaho, which resulted in a sudden drop from about 15 feet, and subsequent hard landing. The landing bent the nose gear forward and damaged the firewall. The Big Creek Airport is a remote mountain airport with a turf runway. The pilot made a field repair by lashing the nose wheel strut back using rope and a come-along attached to the main landing gear. The pilot then proceeded to fly the airplane to McCall, Idaho, about 30 minutes away, where an mechanic assessed the damage and advised the pilot not to continue the flight. The pilot decided to continue the flight to his home base, Minden-Tahoe Airport, Nevada, approximately 454 miles southwest of McCall. The elevation of the Big Creek Airport is 5,743 feet mean sea level. The pilot reported the outside air temperature at the time of the accident to be 80 degrees Fahrenheit (26.6 degrees Centigrade). At 1350, the McCall Airport weather observation was winds from 210 degrees at 11 knots; 8 statute miles visibility; temperature 26 Centigrade; dew point 5 degrees Centigrade; and the altimeter setting was 30.05 inches of mercury. The calculated density altitude for these conditions at Big Creek is 8,238 feet mean sea level. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N92767](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N92767-2012-07-03), registration cancelled 2012-07-03, S/N 18260346, built 1970 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 182N - Registry model: [Cessna 182N](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182n) (registry code 2072730) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18260346 - Engines: Continental O-470R reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kevin E Quinn - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: KMYL, McCall, ID - Destination: KU60, Big Creek, ID - Airport: KU60, Big Creek Airport, runway 19, 3,700 × 60 ft, grass/turf ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 38; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2; flight hours: 662 total, 646 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days, 30 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 260° at 15 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 176 °F ## 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 20080726841619A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080726841619A), Jul 26, 2008: Cessna 182N, Big Creek, ID, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 26, 2008 Cessna 182-N s/n 18260346 N92767 operated by [privacy data omitted] pilot license [privacy data omitted] stall on short final at Big… 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.