Cessna 182RG accident near Glenwood Spring, Colorado, December 13, 1998
On December 13, 1998 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N9854C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glenwood Spring, Colorado (Glenwood Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. A contributing factor is his inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1998 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glenwood Spring, Colorado · Glenwood Springs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9854C · no longer on the register · serial R18200472
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a full stop landing at the completion of a cross-country flight, the aircraft touched down nose wheel first and began to porpoise and oscillate in yaw. It exited the side of the runway and struck a chain link fence and pallet of natural gas pipe. No structural and/or system failure or malfunctions were found and the weather was clear skies with light and variable wind at 3 knots. The pilot had 24 hours total flight time in the accident aircraft make and model, and 4 hours in the last 90 days in make and model.
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: 105 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,772 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 30, 1998; 22 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: SGU Saint George UT at 5:00 pm
- Destination: GWS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 3,305 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from RIL, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.