Cessna 182Q accident near Silver City, New Mexico, April 10, 1996
On April 10, 1996 at about 1:20 am local time, a Cessna 182Q, registered N7559S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silver City, New Mexico (Whiskey Creek airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control. A Factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 10, 1996 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Silver City, New Mexico · Whiskey Creek · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N7559S · registry record · serial 18265208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot allowed the aircraft to touch down on the left apron of runway 35. During the roll out, the aircraft continued to veer left contacting a runway light with the right main landing gear while departing the runway hard surface. The left main landing gear contacted several cactus sheering the left main wheel at the lower strut. The student pilot reported that there was a crosswind from the east at less than 10 knots. The pilot stated that he recognized that he could have easily avoided this accident if he had made a timely correction and applied hard right rudder.
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: student
- Flight time: 14 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SVC Hurley NM
- Destination: 94E
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,350 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.