Cessna 182F accident near Burlington, Colorado, April 6, 2004
On April 6, 2004 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182F, registered N3524Y, was destroyed in an accident near Burlington, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of aircraft control due to structural icing. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadvertent flight into adverse weather conditions, the icing conditions, and ice fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 2004 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182F · all 182Fs on the register
- Registration
- N3524Y · no longer on the register · serial 182-54424
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot checked weather conditions for his route of flight before leaving for the airport. The airplane took off at 0615, flew northeast for approximately 25 miles before turning on to a 100-degree heading, which the pilot maintained to the accident site. A computer-generated flight plan showed the pilot proposed to fly north around the Denver International Airport at 7,500 feet, then fly direct to Chanute, Kansas. The pilot's cruising altitude block showed 11,500 feet, and his estimated time en route to his destination showed 3 hours and 28 minutes. Air traffic control radar showed the airplane take off proceed northeast to Gilcrest, Colorado, and then turn on to a southeast heading of approximately 100 degrees. The data showed the airplane hold this flight path to the accident site. No altitude information was recorded. A witness working on power lines near the accident site said he saw the airplane fly overhead at low altitude, barely clearing the set of power lines. He said the engine sounded normal. The witness said he did not see the airplane crash because of the dense fog in the area. Weather conditions at Burlington, Colorado, 12 miles south of the accident site, at the time of the accident were indefinite ceiling with a vertical visibility of 100 feet, surface visibility 1/4 statute mile and fog, temperature and dew point 39 degrees F, and an altimeter of 29.96 inches. An examination of the airplane showed evidence of structural icing on the wings, wing struts, right wheel pant, and empennage. No other anomalies were found.
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
- Flight time: 130 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 90 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 19, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,209.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 2003; 21.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 Boulder CO at 12:15 pm
- Destination: CNU Chanute KS
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: vv at 100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from ITR, 12 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.