Cessna 182N accident near Truth Or Conseq, New Mexico, June 30, 1996
On June 30, 1996 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 182N, registered N9001G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Truth Or Conseq, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power due to the fatigue failure of the number one piston. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 30, 1996 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Truth Or Conseq, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182N · all 182Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9001G · registry record · serial 18260541
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while cruising at 11,500 feet MSL over 10,000 foot terrain, he 'noticed the oil pressure gauge was reading 0.' Approximately 5 minutes later, the engine 'clanked and started to break apart internally.' Subsequently, a 'few minutes' after that, the engine seized. The pilot executed a forced landing between trees on a rocky ridge top. During the landing roll, the airplane hit a rock, nosed over and came to rest in an inverted position. Postcrash examination of the engine revealed extensive internal damage. Subsequently, the parts were sent to a metallurgical laboratory for analysis. It was determined that the number one piston had developed in-service fatigue cracks and subsequently disintegrated; which in turn caused the general failure of the engine.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 957 hours in all; 176 in this make and model; 29 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 19, 1996; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tuscon AZ at 7:00 pm
- Destination: AMA Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from TCS, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.