Cessna 182 accident near Palora, Ec, February 14, 2011
On February 14, 2011 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered HCCDL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Palora. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 2011 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Palora, Ecuador · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 E · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- HCCDL · no longer on the register · serial 18253822
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On Feburary 14, 2011, about 1935, universal coordinated time, a Cessna 182E, Ecuadorian registration HC-CDL, registered to and operated by Fundación Amazónica., incurred substantial damage during a force landing in rough terrain due to a total loss of engine power in Palora, Provincia de Morona Santiago, Ecuador. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The pilot and one of three passengers received minor injuries; the other two passengers were seriously injured. This investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Ecuador. Any further information can be obtained from: Direccion General de Aviacion Civil Departamento de Seguridad de Vuelo Buenos Aires 149 Y 10 de Agusto Casilla 2077 Quito, Republica del Ecuador Fax; 593-2- 223-8352 This information is for informational purposes only and contains information released by, or obtained for, the government of Ecuador.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › (general) › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SETH Morona
- Destination: SESM Pastaza
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.