Cessna 182A accident near Pine Haven, Wyoming, September 7, 2003
On September 7, 2003 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N6384B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pine Haven, Wyoming (Keyhole airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. The lack of suitable terrain is a contributing factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2003 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Haven, Wyoming · Keyhole · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182A · all 182As on the register
- Registration
- N6384B · no longer on the register · serial 34284
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he completed an air drop of skydivers and was returning to land. During the final approach, he added power to maintain altitude and obstacle clearance, and the engine "quit without sputter[ing]." He made a forced landing in a sagebrush covered field. The airplane struck the ground, slid down a gully, and struck a tree. The impact separated the airplane's nose landing gear, displaced the engine and engine mount, and buckled the aft fuselage and firewall. The pilot stated that after pulling the airplane from the gully, he visually checked the fuel and identified that there were 10 gallons of fuel in each wing-tank. At the time of the accident, the temperature was 31 degrees C., and the dew point was 7 degrees C.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,844 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,063 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,202 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 2002; 200 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Pine Haven WY at 7:35 pm
- Destination: PVT Pine Haven WY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KGCC, 32 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.
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.