Cessna 182T N434CP accident near Drake, Colorado

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in mountainous terrain. Contributing was mountain wave turbulence in the area.

NTSB analysis

The purpose of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) flight was to conduct training and aerial photography for emergency response planning. According to ADS-B data for the flight, the airplane departed and flew to the area to be photographed. The airplane then made several north-to-south and east-to-west orbits over the area before turning east toward the departure airport. The airplane then turned to the north, made a left turn to the south followed almost immediately by a right turn to the northwest. The airplane’s flight track ended shortly after.

The mission observer on board the airplane reported that, after the photography mission was completed, the pilot maneuvered the airplane over trees about 1,500 above ground level (agl) and heading toward higher terrain. The observer then heard the pilot say, “Oh [expletive].” The pilot lowered the airplane’s nose and started to turn the airplane. The observer stated that the airplane seemed to drop and that it probably encountered a downdraft. He heard the airplane hitting trees, and the next thing that he remembered was being on the ground.

A CAP flight that landed after the accident airplane had taken off reported having experienced mountain wave turbulence in the same area that the accident airplane had been operating. The flight did not communicate this to the accident flight, and the CAP had not relayed this information to the accident airplane’s pilot.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25FA047 for the full record.