Cessna 182Q accident near Sedona, Arizona, March 28, 2009
On March 28, 2009, a Cessna 182Q, registered N97467, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to achieve the proper touchdown point during a full-stop landing attempt. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's failure to ensure that the aircraft was properly configured for landing, his not initiating a go-around, and a malfunction in one of the main landing gear braking systems.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 2009
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182Q · all 182Qs on the register
- Registration
- N97467 · registry record · serial 18267104
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While making a visual-flight-rules approach to a full-stop landing, the pilot was distracted by the thermal turbulence and inadvertently allowed his final approach to be high, long, and fast. He therefore executed a go-around. During the go-around the pilot did not feel the expected sinking of the airplane when he repositioned the cockpit flap control. Because he did not feel the sinking sensation, and because he had not visually confirmed the position of the flaps at any time since entering the pattern, the pilot incorrectly assumed that the flaps were not functioning properly. He therefore elected to make his second landing with the flaps still in the position they were at after the go-around (ultimately determined to be 10 percent). During the second approach he inadvertently landed about 80 percent of the way down the runway, and then attempted to stop the airplane with maximum braking. During the braking attempt, the brake on the left main gear did not provide any braking action. Before the pilot could get it stopped, the airplane departed the end of the runway, impacted a fence, and nosed over onto its back. A postaccident functionality test determined that the flaps were working properly. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the left brake system and determined that the left pedal master cylinder was low on fluid. The examination also determined that very little braking or pedal resistance was present when the brake pedal was pushed toward its applied position, and there was likely very little, if any, left wheel braking action during the pilot's attempt to stop the airplane after landing long.
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
- 550380 during descent
- 552330 during descent - emergency
- 552300 during descent - emergency
- 552470 during descent - emergency
The NTSB's findings
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear brakes system › Malfunction
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Flight control system › TE flap control system › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, ASE, IAIR, APLN, none
- Flight time: 3,170 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,375 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 25, 2009
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 867 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, December 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: KCCB Upland CA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: KSEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,183 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR09LA168.