Cessna 182D accident near South Lake Tahoe, CA
On October 15, 2016, a Cessna 182D (airplane) was involved in an accident near South Lake Tahoe, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- October 15, 2016
- Place
- South Lake Tahoe, CA
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182D · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.921°N, 120.208°W
- NTSB ID
- 20161019X10935
Official records · WPR17FA008
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Northern California Terminal Radar Approach Control Audio: Recording (ZIP), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 15, 2016, at 1552 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182D airplane, N8718X, impacted the northeast face of Red Peak in the Desolation Wilderness near South Lake Tahoe, California. The private pilot sustained fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed in the area of the accident site, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight, which departed Winnemucca Municipal Airport (WMC), Winnemucca, Nevada, about 1320, with a planned destination of Westover Field/Amador County Airport (JAQ), Jackson, California. The pilot was returning from a hunting trip, and initially departed Lemhi County Airport (SMN), Salmon, Idaho, on the morning of the accident. He landed at WMC, where he serviced the airplane with 41 gallons of 100LL aviation gasoline. Before departing, he spoke with his wife and stated that the landing at WMC was challenging due to gusting wind conditions. After departing on the accident flight, the pilot took two digital photographs, which he sent to his wife as text messages. The photographs were taken at 1329 and 1336, and their GPS-derived positions and altitudes were contained within the metadata. The photographs were taken about 9 and 18 miles southwest of WMC at altitudes of 6,755 ft and 8,986 ft, respectively, and included views to the south-southeast. (See figures 1 and 2.) The photographs captured areas of mountainous terrain with peaks that appeared about
Probable cause
The noninstrument-rated pilot's decision to depart on and continue a flight over mountainous terrain into forecast instrument metrological conditions, icing, and hazardous wind conditions that exceeded the airplanes performance capabilities and resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
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Browse: California · 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.
