Cessna 182H accident near Las Cruces, NM
On October 13, 2017, a Cessna 182H (airplane) was involved in an accident near Las Cruces, NM. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 13, 2017
- Place
- Las Cruces, NM
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182H · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 32.337°N, 106.916°W
- NTSB ID
- 20171013X83912
Official records · CEN18FA009
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 12, 2017, about 2015 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182H airplane, N8338S, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain near Las Cruces, New Mexico. The flight instructor and student pilot were fatally injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Aero Newton Inc. as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which departed Las Cruces International Airport (LRU), Las Cruces, New Mexico, at an undetermined time. Radar data captured the airplane flying over Truth or Consequences, New Mexico, along Highway I-25 toward Las Cruces. Once near the airport, the airplane maneuvered north of LRU and descended to about 200 ft above ground level (agl), turned left toward the airport, and climbed to about 500 ft agl. The airplane then overflew LRU before turning north. Shortly thereafter, the airplane entered a descending right turn over unpopulated terrain and radar contact was lost. The wreckage was discovered on a small mesa by first responders who were dispatched following reports of a fire. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONPersonal logbooks were not located for either pilot, and recency of flight experience could not be determined. AIRCRAFT INFORMATIONThe airplane's maintenance logbook recorded a 100-hour inspection completed on August 8, 2017, at a total airframe time of 2,507.15 hrs and 886.91 hrs since engine overhaul. METEOROLOGICAL INFORMATIONA review of lunar astronomical information revealed that the moon did not rise unti
Probable cause
Controlled flight into terrain in dark night conditions.
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.
