Cessna 182T accident near Drake, Colorado, November 23, 2024
On November 23, 2024 at about 6:15 pm local time, a 2009 Cessna 182T, registered N434CP, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Drake, Colorado. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control while maneuvering in mountainous terrain. Contributing was mountain wave turbulence in the area.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 23, 2024 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Drake, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182T, built 2009 · all 182Ts on the register
- Registration
- N434CP · registry record · serial 18282192
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private, remote
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 5,350 hours in all; 5,350 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,174 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2024; 151 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-AB1A5 (piston); 1,835 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Departed from: FNL Fort Collins CO at 4:08 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 am from KFNL, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KFNL 231756Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 09/M06 A2983 RMK AO2 SLP086 T00941061 10100 21011 58020
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 –Accident Site
Photograph 2 – Airplane Wreckage
Photograph 3 – Engine, Left Side
Photograph 4 – Engine, Right Side
Photograph 5 - PropellerThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
15 documents, released by the NTSB on February 11, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.