# NTSB WPR15CA059: Cessna 182T, N961GW, Wendover, UT, December 12, 2014 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: December 11, 2014, 20:30 local (Dec 12, 2014, 03:30 UTC) - Place: Wendover, UT - Coordinates: 40.718612, -114.02861 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7186&lon=-114.0286&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report April 7, 2015 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 90494 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR15CA059 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/90494/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90494 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR15CA059 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain situational awareness during a turn which resulted in a loss of airplane control. ## 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) - [Perception/orientation/illusion: situational awareness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Initial climb: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182T, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2072703), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis After accomplishing a touch and go landing, during a moonless night, the pilot initiated a left climbing turn and orientated himself with the departure end of the runway, by looking outside and behind the airplane. While looking outside, the pilot inadvertently put the airplane into a left steep bank and was unable to recover. Prior to the airplane impacting terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings, the pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Factual narrative After accomplishing a touch and go landing, during a moonless night, the pilot initiated a left climbing turn and orientated himself with the departure end of the runway, by looking outside and behind the airplane. While looking outside, the pilot inadvertently put the airplane into a left steep bank and was unable to recover. Prior to the airplane impacting terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and wings, the pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N961GW](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N961GW-2015-10-15), registration cancelled 2015-10-15, S/N 18280961, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182T (T) - Registry model: [Cessna 182T](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182t) (registry code 2072703) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (registry code 41530, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18280961 - Year built: 2002 - Airframe hours: 2702.3 - Engines: LYCOMING IO-540 SER 235 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 21, 2014 - Departed: OGD, OGDEN, UT - Destination: ENV, WENDOVER, UT - Airport: ENV, Wendover, runway 26, 10,000 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system, Auto-pilot ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: serious; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 13, 2014; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 210 total, 16 in this make and model, 128 as pilot in command, 74 in the last 90 days, 29 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: ENV, 2 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 20141211021009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141211021009A), Dec 11, 2014: Cessna 182T, Wendover, UT, Destroyed. After performing a touch-and-go flight maneuver, during climb out, the pilot did not maintain sufficient altitude during a left turn, impacting the ground with… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 2, 2015, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=90494. 1.9 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40424374&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.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.