Cessna 182 accident near San Luis, Colorado, November 12, 2019
On November 12, 2019, a 1969 Cessna 182, registered N91846, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Luis, Colorado (Melby Ranch Airstrip 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 improper pitch attitude during landing on rising terrain in flat light conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 2019
- Place
- San Luis, Colorado · Melby Ranch Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 M, built 1969 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N91846 · registry record · serial 18259931
- 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 landing at dusk and into the setting sun, "flat light" conditions existed. The private, dirt airstrip increased in gradient as he landed to the west. When the airplane was about 75 knots airspeed, the pilot increased the flaps, attempted to bleed off airspeed, and touched down. He said the airplane landed hard "because…[he] literally did not see it coming." The nose landing gear collapsed, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the lower fuselage, and the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Flat light › Effect on personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,779.6 hours in all; 2,680 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 0.6 in the last 30 days; 2,710.1 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 6, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,293.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 19, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 643 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALS Alamosa CO at 11:52 pm
- Destination: ALS Alamosa CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 7,400 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from KALS, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.