Cessna 182 N632EP

Summary

On 7 May 2018 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 182 registered N632EP was involved in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 May 2018 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States

Coordinates

35.5958, -106.9019

Aircraft

Cessna 182

Registration

N632EP

Category

Airplane

Year built

1980

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Carlsbad → Farmington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA18CA262

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s decision to continue flight in mountainous terrain with downdraft conditions, which necessitated a precautionary landing on unsuitable terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while en route, the air was "unstable and choppy," and the airplane did not climb as expected. He added that the airplane "managed to climb to 9,500 [ft mean sea level] and maintain the altitude" but then had a "sudden and violent drop in altitude followed by a down draft." Subsequently, the airplane descended to 500 ft above the ground and was between two hills and still "struggling to climb." He observed what appeared to be a dirt plateau followed by a cliff and decided to land on the plateau to "avoid possibly falling off the cliff." During the landing, the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, empennage, and right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.