Cessna 182A accident near Stratton, Colorado, June 3, 1993
On June 3, 1993 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182A, registered N2131G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stratton, Colorado. It was a personal 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 SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. A FACTOR WAS: MISJUDGING THE DETERIORATING WEATHER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1993 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stratton, Colorado · 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
- N2131G · no longer on the register · serial 51431
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE WEATHER DETERIORATED AND THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT ATTEMPTED A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON A ROAD. THE ROAD WAS WET, SOFT, AND MUDDY, AND DURING LANDING ROLL, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE ROAD AND IMPACTED IN A ROADSIDE DITCH. THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEF ONE HOUR PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE WEATHER BRIEF FORECAST THE WEATHER TO BE VFR ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND TO REMAIN VFR FOR AT LEAST TWO HOURS AFTER ARRIVAL.
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: 426 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 387 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,418 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LHX La Junta CO at 5:50 pm
- Destination: LIC Limon CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from LHX, 125 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.
Other NTSB records under N2131G 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.