Cessna 182E accident near El Prado, NM
On February 25, 2000, a Cessna 182E (airplane) was involved in an accident near El Prado, NM. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 25, 2000
- Place
- El Prado, NM
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.470°N, 105.619°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X20477
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 24, 2000, approximately 1845 mountain standard time, a Cessna 182E, N2988Y, owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed when it collided with terrain while descending 1.5 miles east of the Taos Municipal Airport at El Prado, New Mexico. The private instrument rated pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and a VFR flight plan was filed for the personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations) Part 91. The flight originated at Albuquerque, New Mexico, approximately 1758. According to a friend of the pilot's, he was contacted at home by the pilot who inquired as to the weather conditions at Taos. The friend said he told him that it was snowing, and that he "should not even think of flying." The pilot then received an in-person abbreviated weather briefing from the Albuquerque Flight Service Station (FSS). He was advised that VFR (visual flight rules) flight was not recommended (VNR) due to mountain tops being obscured, turbulence, and icing conditions. This information was based on Doppler radar and the Taos AWOS (Automated Weather Observation System). The pilot's friend said that about 45 minutes later, the pilot telephoned a second time and told him that it would be possible to make the flight VFR because the Taos AWOS was reporting 10 miles visibility and ceiling of at least 10,000 feet. His friend told him that it was still snowing where he lived (about 25 miles west of the airport and 8,200 feet above sea level). The pilot said he was going to att
Probable cause
The pilot's improper preflight planning/preparation in that he initiated flight into known adverse weather, and continued VFR flight into IMC to the point where remedial action was not possible. Factors were the weather conditions that included snow, low ceiling, and obscuration, a dark night, and his overconfidence in his abilities. **This case was modified on February 27, 2008.**
More accidents in NM
- Gates Learjet 25D, Sep 5, 1993
- Piper PA-32-300, Dec 26, 1982
- Mitsubishi MU-2B-30, Jun 25, 1992
- Cessna 421C, Feb 11, 1985
- Beech 58, Mar 26, 1982
Browse: New Mexico · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
