Cessna TR182 accident near Amargosa Valley, Nevada, February 27, 2009
On February 27, 2009 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna TR182, registered N2518S, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Amargosa Valley, Nevada (Amargosa Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed and runway alignment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 2009 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Amargosa Valley, Nevada · Amargosa Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna TR182 · all TR182s on the register
- Registration
- N2518S · no longer on the register · serial R18201346
- 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 the airplane became airborne about 2/3 of the way down the runway during an attempted soft-field takeoff from a dirt runway. He said that he was unable to maintain an adequate airspeed and drifted off to the left side of the runway and impacted bushes and shrubs. During the accident sequence, the front landing gear folded back and the left main landing gear broke off. The outboard half of the right wing was partially separated.
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
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 312 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 265 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 8, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,279 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 2009; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 70CL Amargosa Valley NV at 10:00 pm
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 1,625 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from VGT, 80 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.