Cessna 182K accident near Elbert, Colorado, January 25, 2001
On January 25, 2001 at about 1:00 am local time, a Cessna 182K, registered N2898R, was destroyed in an accident near Elbert, Colorado (Meadow Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing factors to the accident were the low clouds, reduced visibilities due to fog, and the dark night light condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2001 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · Meadow Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182K · all 182Ks on the register
- Registration
- N2898R · no longer on the register · serial 18258498
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to radar data, at 1729:09, the airplane departed on a night cross-country flight and its transponder was sending a 1200 (VFR) code. There were no records found of the flight contacting air traffic control, nor was it required to do so. The airplane climbed to 9,200 feet and flew toward the destination airport. At 1756:53, the airplane initiated a 250 foot per minute rate of descent. At 1800:55, the final radar image was received 11 miles north of the destination airport, at 8,200 feet msl (500 feet agl). Prior to the last radar return, the airplane had been in a steady, gradual descent. The accident site was located approximately 8 miles north-northeast of the destination airport. A witness, who lives near the accident site, reported that at the time of the accident dense fog conditions were occurring and the visibility was less than 50 yards. Review of weather observations revealed that the flight departed in visual meteorological conditions and the weather conditions deteriorated to instrument meteorological conditions as the flight progressed toward the destination airport. During the one hour time period surrounding the accident, the weather at the nearest observation facility to the accident site changed from a few clouds at 300 feet, scattered clouds at 1,300 feet, visibility 3 miles in fog, and a 1 degree temperature dew point spread, to broken clouds at 200 feet and a 0 degree temperature dew point spread. No record of the pilot receiving a pre-flight weather briefing from a flight service station was found. The airframe and engine were examined and no pre-impact anomalies were found that would have precluded their operation.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 277 hours in all
- Last flight review: November 17, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 952 hours in all
- Last flight review: September 15, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,928 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 25, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V Erie CO
- Destination: 00V Colorado Sprgs CO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 300 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 1:06 am from COS, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2898R the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.