Cessna 182RG accident near Douglas, Arizona, January 23, 2001
On January 23, 2001 at about 7:58 pm local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N5487T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Douglas, Arizona (Douglas Cochise College airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the go-around and his premature retraction of the landing gear. A factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 23, 2001 · about 7:58 pm local time
- Place
- Douglas, Arizona · Douglas Cochise College · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N5487T · no longer on the register · serial R18201878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting a series of touch-and-go maneuvers the airplane ballooned on a landing. The instructor directed the student to initiate a go-around when the stall warning was heard. The instructor reported that control of the airplane was to be relinquished to him but the control yoke was not released by the student. The gear lever position could not be seen by the instructor. The instructor also stated after the accident that the landing gear appeared to have been retracted at the start of the go-around procedure.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,190 hours in all; 765 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,075 as pilot in command; 1,604 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 26, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 307 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 240 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,432 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 3, 2000; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Textron Lycoming L-21760-40a (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P03 Douglas AZ at 7:40 pm
- Destination: P03 Douglas AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from KDUG
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.