Cessna 182T accident near Georgia Pass, Colorado, August 15, 2008
On August 15, 2008 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Cessna 182T, registered N487TC, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Georgia Pass, Colorado (Bob Adams Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control after inadvertantly encountering instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to obtain a weather brief and the severe weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2008 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Georgia Pass, Colorado · Bob Adams Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182T · all 182Ts on the register
- Registration
- N487TC · no longer on the register · serial 18281486
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instrument-rated pilot was traveling cross-country with three passengers after a family vacation. The airplane was instrument-flight-rules equipped and the pilot was familiar with the airplane. There was no evidence the pilot obtained a weather briefing prior to departure and he did not file a flight plan. An analysis conducted by an NTSB meteorology specialist determined that, at the time of departure, weather was marginal visual meteorological conditions with an overcast layer above and scattered clouds at and below the flown flight level. Weather near the accident site deteriorated rapidly after departure and the pilot likely encountered a level 2 thunderstorm, lost control of the airplane and impacted terrain, destroying the airplane. Postaccident inspection of the airplane did not disclose evidence of any preimpact anomaly of the engine or airplane systems.
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
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Windshear or thunderstorm during enroute (cruise)
- Loss of control in flight during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during enroute (cruise)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Below VFR minima › Response/compensation
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Convective weather › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,576 hours in all
- Last flight review: May 13, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,492 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 2008
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Anson Air, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: SBS Steamboat Sprin CO at 2:35 pm
- Destination: 11R Brenham TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 600 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from lxv
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.