Cessna 182K accident near Adrian, Oregon, January 30, 2011
On January 30, 2011 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 182K, registered N3083Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Adrian, Oregon. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-instrument-rated pilot did not maintain sufficient altitude to clear mountainous terrain while in cruise flight in the dark.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2011 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Adrian, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182K · all 182Ks on the register
- Registration
- N3083Q · no longer on the register · serial 18258083
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument-rated pilot was returning to his home airport about two hours after sunset on a dark night with low levels of ambient light. The pilot landed to refuel at an airport that was located about 40 miles northwest of his home airport. Around the time of his post-refueling departure, the weather in the valley between the refueling airport and his home airport varied from clear skies to a solid overcast cloud layer, with some areas being covered by patchy ground fog and mist. After takeoff, the pilot flew in a southerly direction along the western edge of the valley. As he continued to the south, he reached a location where the western edge of the valley is defined by a steeply rising line of hills. At that point the pilot turned about 10 degrees to the east and then proceeded along the eastern edge of the hilly area. After flying a little over five miles beyond the point where he turned to the east, the airplane impacted the steeply rising terrain on the eastern edge of the hills. The impact ground scars were consistent with the airplane being in a wings-level attitude, and an examination of the engine and propeller revealed evidence that was consistent with the engine being at cruise power or greater. The investigation did not reveal any evidence of anomalies or malfunctions associated with the airplane's airframe, engine, or systems. It is likely that the pilot failed to see the terrain and inadvertently flew into it while in cruise flight.
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 (cruise) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: October 12, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,864 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 21, 2010; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor O-470 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KONO Ontario OR at 4:15 am
- Destination: KMAN Nampa ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from KONO, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.