Cessna 182R accident near Corvallis, Oregon, January 18, 2010
On January 18, 2010, a Cessna 182R, registered N702, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Corvallis, Oregon (Corvallis Municipal Airport). It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from terrain while operating into a known area of mountain obscuration due to low clouds, precipitation, and mist.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2010
- Place
- Corvallis, Oregon · Corvallis Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182R · all 182Rs on the register
- Registration
- N702 · registry record · serial 182-68528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flightcrew had completed a public-use migratory bird survey flight. After landing, the pilot purchased fuel and updated the flight plan. The pilot stated to the flight service station briefer that he was aware of the area AIRMETs (airmen’s meteorological information) for mountain obscuration and turbulence that were active for the area of intended flight. The weather conditions at the destination 30 minutes prior to the accident were calm wind; 5 miles visibility; few clouds at 700 feet, broken clouds at 4,400 feet, and overcast at 5,000 feet. The pilot departed for the destination, which was located 38 miles east and where the airplane was based. Although the pilot had updated his flight plan before they departed, the pilot never activated the flight plan once airborne. The route between the departure airport and destination airport consisted of flight over mountainous terrain with terrain elevations between 1,000 and 1,750 feet mean sea level (msl). Radar and global positioning system data showed that the airplane proceeded east at an altitude of around 2,800 feet msl and followed a highway. Twenty minutes after takeoff and 14 miles northwest of the destination, the airplane changed to southeasterly flight path towards the destination. The airplane started a very gradual descent and, after about 2 minutes, impacted trees at 1,500-feet msl while in level flight; the airplane was about 9 miles northwest of the destination. Weather analysis indicated that conditions at the accident site leading up to the time of the accident were low clouds at 700 feet above ground level (agl) with ceilings at 4,000 feet. Surface conditions were near saturation, indicative of precipitation reaching the ground and/or reduced visibilities. Weather radar imagery indicated the accident airplane was below an area of light precipitation during the final portion of flight. Conditions between 300 feet agl and 1,500 feet were highly favorable for cloud sustainment and/or development. A much deeper cloudy region dominated altitudes above 4,000 feet, and the freezing level was about 5,000 feet. A postimpact examination did not reveal any anomalies with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during enroute (descent) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Obscuration › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,463 hours in all
- Last flight review: March 9, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,966 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 21, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: United States Department Of Interior
The flight
- Departed from: KONP Newport OR
- Destination: KCVO Corvallis OR
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,700 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.30 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR10GA113.