Cessna 182 accident near Alpine, Texas, March 3, 2017
On March 3, 2017 at about 2:00 am local time, a 1962 Cessna 182, registered N2892Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Alpine, Texas (Alpine-Casparis Muni airport). 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 pilot’s inadequate compensation for gusting crosswind conditions at night and his delayed go-around, which resulted in the airplane bouncing and impacting a fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2017 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Alpine, Texas · Alpine-Casparis Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 E, built 1962 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N2892Y · no longer on the register · serial 18253892
- 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, during final approach in gusting wind conditions at night, he reduced power and initiated a flare when he then heard the stall warning horn. He added that a "gust of wind caught [the] left wing," which he attempted to recover with left aileron inputs. The nose landing gear bounced during touchdown, and he applied full power to go around when a gust of wind "pushed [him] right into desert." The airplane bounced, impacted a fence, and came to rest inverted on the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, about 5 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 130° at 9 knots and that, about 15 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 140° at 10 knots, gusting to 17 knots. The airplane landed on runway 19.
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 control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on personnel
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Fence/fence post › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 194 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 138 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 12, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,246.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 25, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R55 (piston); 589 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E38 Alpine TX at 1:00 am
- Destination: E38 Alpine TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 6,002 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.39 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from KE38
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 31, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.