Cessna 182N N773JB

Summary

On 13 May 1993 at about 19:00 local time, a Cessna 182N registered N773JB, operated by Gregg Flying Service, Inc., was involved in an accident near Durango, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 May 1993 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Durango, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Animas Air Park (5CO0)

Coordinates

37.2708, -107.8805

Aircraft

Cessna 182N

Registration

N773JB

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Gregg Flying Service, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Albuquerque → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN93LA057

2 people were seriously injured.

AN INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR WAS: DOWNDRAFTS AND THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT OBSERVED SCATTERED CLOUDS, VIRGA, RAIN AND LIGHTNING APPROACHING WHEN HE WAS 10 MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT, AND UNICOM ADVISED THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH AT 20 KNOTS. THE AIRPLANE ENTERED PRECIPITATION AND ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT, BUT THE PILOT RECOVERED BY APPLYING MODERATE ENGINE POWER AND REMAINING HIGH AND FAST. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AS HE CONTINUED HIS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 1, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A VERTICAL WIND SHEAR AND LOST SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE WAS BELOW THE AIRPORT ELEVATION (THE AIRPORT SITS ATOP A MESA), AND HE ADDED FULL POWER AND PULLED THE NOSE UP. THE AIRPLANE CLEARED BOULDERS AND TREES AT THE EDGE OF THE MESA, THEN THE STALL WARNING SOUNDED. TWO PASSENGERS AND A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE STALLED. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND SLID 30 FEET BEFORE COMING TO A HALT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.