Summary
On May 07, 2018, a Cessna 182 (N632EP) was involved in an incident near Albuquerque, NM. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot’s decision to continue flight in mountainous terrain with downdraft conditions, which necessitated a precautionary landing on unsuitable terrain.
The pilot reported that, while enroute, 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, the airplane 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".
This incident is documented in NTSB report GAA18CA262. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N632EP.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot’s decision to continue flight in mountainous terrain with downdraft conditions, which necessitated a precautionary landing on unsuitable terrain.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot reported that, while enroute, 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, the airplane 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.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# GAA18CA262