Cessna 182M accident near Snow Water Lake, Nevada, October 2, 1983
On October 2, 1983 at about 3:40 am local time, a Cessna 182M, registered N92019, was destroyed in an accident near Snow Water Lake, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- October 2, 1983 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Snow Water Lake, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182M · all 182Ms on the register
- Registration
- N92019 · registry record · serial 18260005
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN IN A HIGH SPEED WINGS LEVEL DESCENT AT NIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING WEATHER AND ICING AT FLT LEVEL OF 13000 FT. THE PLT WAS IN CONTACT WITH SALT LAKE CENTER UNTIL 5 MINUTES BEFORE RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AND GAVE NO INDICATION OF TROUBLE EXCEPT 'IN THE CLOUDS AND LIGHT ICE.' EARLIER HE HAD DESCRIBED ST ELMOS FIRE TO THE CENTER. HIS LAST CONTACT WAS A REQUEST FOR HIS NOTED GROUND SPEED FROM RADAR. IT WAS 120 KTS ACCORDING TO SALT LAKE ARTCC. DURING THE ON SITE EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT WRECKAGE FLT CONTROL CONTINUITY PRIOR TO IMPACT COULD NOT BE ESTABLISHED. THE COCKPIT SWITCHES/CONTROL POSITIONS WERE DESTROYED. THE ENGINE WAS DISASSEMBLED AND NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,018 hours in all; 3,200 as pilot in command; 1,797 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 11, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LMT Klamath Falls OR
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; scat
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 am from EKO, 39 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.