Cessna 182R accident near Duckwater, Nevada, May 14, 1983
On May 14, 1983 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Cessna 182R, registered N9951H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Duckwater, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 14, 1983 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Duckwater, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N9951H · registry record · serial 68137
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AFTER DESCENDING TO 600 FT AGL AND ENCOUNTERING A WEATHER PHENOMENON WHICH PROMPTED AN AIRSPEED DECAY AND UNCOMMANDED LOSS OF ALTITUDE. TWO OTHER ACFT IN THE FLT OF 3 EXPERIENCED THE SAME PHENOMENON TO A LESSER DEGREE APPARENTLY BECAUSE OF THEIR HIGHER ALT AGL. THE PILOT OF ONE OF THE ACCOMPANYING ACFT LANDED ON A NEARBY ROAD AFTER SEEING THE ACCIDENT AND IN PROCEEDING TO THE SCENE SAW A 'HUGE DUST DEVIL. HE ALSO SAID THE WIND WOULD SHIFT FROM 300 DEGREES TO ABOUT 120 DEGREES THEN SHIFT TO 60 DEGREES WITH A BUFFET BEFORE RETURNING TO THE PREVAILING 300 DEGREES. THE TWO CLOSEST WEATHER STATIONS 45 OR MORE MILES AWAY ARE SEPARATED FROM DUCKATER BY MOUNTAIN RANGES. THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT ACFT WAS STABILIZED IN FLT WITH 10 DEGREES OF FLAPS AT 85 KTS WHEN HE NOTED A DROP IN AIRSPEED TO 70 KTS AND THEN 60 KTS AND A VERTICAL SPEED OF 500-700 FT PER MINUTE DESCENT. WHEN THE AIRSPEED CONTINUED TO DROP THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER AND RETRACTED THE FLAPS. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AT 1000-1200 FT PER MINUTE UNTIL IMPACT.
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
- Flight time: 427 hours in all; 148 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 329 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 373 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Parsons Air
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 5:15 pm
- Destination: 01U Duckwater NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from ELY, 45 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.