Cessna R182 accident near Telluride, Colorado, July 1, 1989
On July 1, 1989 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna R182, registered N7385Y, was destroyed in an accident near Telluride, Colorado (Telluride Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS BY THE PILOT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE WIND CONDITIONS, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1989 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Telluride, Colorado · Telluride Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N7385Y · no longer on the register · serial R18200132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD THAT AS HE WAS LANDING, THE AIRPLANE ENCOUNTERED A STRONG GUST OF WIND WHICH BLEW IT TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. DENSITY ALTITUDE AT THE ARPT WAS 11,600 FT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED A GO-AROUND, BUT WAS UNABLE TO GET THE ACFT TO CLEAR OVER TREES. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND & CAME TO REST INVERTED WITH ITS TAIL & LEFT WING TORN OFF. THE FIXED BASE OPERATOR AT THE ARPT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS FROM 240 DEG AT 7 KTS. THE ARPT DIRECTORY RECOMMENDED THAT LANDINGS BE MADE ON RWY 9 & TAKEOFFS BE MADE ON RWY 27 FOR NOISE ABATEMENT REASONS. LOCAL PILOTS RPRTD THAT SUDDEN STRONG GUSTS ARE OFTEN ENCOUNTERED DRG LANDINGS AT THIS ARPT. A PLT, WHO LANDED JUST AFTER THE ACDNT, ALSO ENCOUNTERED UNFAVORABLE WIND NEAR THE APCH END OF RWY 9.
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: 200 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 93 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,157 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1989; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 2:30 pm
- Destination: TEX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 6,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.