Cessna 152 accident near Mt. Charleston, Nevada, June 28, 2003
On June 28, 2003 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N6182U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Charleston, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and selection of the wrong route of flight, which led the airplane toward rising terrain in excess of the performance capability of the airplane. Also causal was the pilot's delayed decision to divert her route of flight. Contributing factors were the high density altitude, and the rapidly rising terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2003 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Charleston, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N6182U · registry record · serial 15284734
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane impacted trees and a pole during a turn when the pilot turned away from rising terrain. During a turn to gain altitude, the air traffic controller queried the pilot and asked if she saw the road below. The controller advised the pilot that most pilots follow that road to her next checkpoint. A few minutes after turning toward the road, air traffic control advised that they had lost radar contact. The pilot continued to climb while following the road. As the airspeed continued to decrease, the pilot added 10 degrees of flaps. The pilot turned the airplane to the left in an attempt to avoid a stall. The left wing clipped a telephone pole and trees came through the windshield. A post accident examination revealed no mechanical malfunctions with the airplane or engine. Performance calculations indicated that the terrain along the pilots ground track rose in excess of the performance capability of the airplane, and that a climb above the rising terrain was not possible during the duration of the flight. The density altitude at 8,000 feet msl was 11,660 feet. United States Highway 95 runs in a northwesterly direction through a wide 4,000 foot msl valley between mountain ranges and toward the pilot's intended checkpoint; Nevada State Highway 157 runs in a westerly direction into the Spring Mountain range with peaks that have elevations over 10,000 feet. The pilot followed Highway 157.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,995 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 28, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVGT North Las Vegas NV at 10:20 pm
- Destination: KRNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KVGT, 21 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N6182U the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.